URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/S_DSR

Course Objective

This course explores the impact of digital technologies on society. By the end of the course, students will be able to:Analyze Digital Dualism: Critically evaluate the polarized narratives surrounding digital technology's impact on freedom, democracy, and social connection. Students will identify the existing narratives and explore how they shape our understanding of the digital world.Examine Shifting Authority: Discuss how digital platforms influence traditional institutions and power structures. Students will analyze how social interaction and desire for authority influence the rise of online influencers and alternative information sources.Evaluate the Attention Economy: Understand the concept of "attention" as a valuable currency in the digital age. Students will explore how different platforms compete for user attention.Navigate Information Abundance: Develop critical thinking skills to navigate the vast amount of information available online. Students will identify the strengths and weaknesses of various research methods used to study the digital world, preparing them for "mixed methods research" that utilizes multiple approaches.Communicate Complex Issues: Apply course concepts to real-world scenarios by crafting research papers or creating group projects. Students will learn to tailor their communication to diverse audiences.

Course Content

Social interactions are increasingly taking place through digital technology, transforming society at the level of individuals, groups and at a global scale. The recent developments in digital technologies provide both challenges and opportunities. Importantly, the societal consequences of digitalization are not inevitable: They can be shaped and regulated through interventions. In this course, we will discuss aspects of digital society based on four key themes: dualism, authority, attention, abundance. Dualism speaks to the Manichaean terms in which the transformation is frequently framed: Digital technology will free us vs it will enslave us, or digital technology will democratize the world vs it will destroy democracy. Social media connects us vs social media tears us apart. Authority refers to how the structures and affordances of digital technology have undermined institutional and hierarchical sources of authority, creating a crisis of legitimacy and driving competition for new sources of authority. Attention is the currency of the digital technology’s economy, though it is captured and valued in different ways than before. Abundance is a feature of digital technology that distinguishes it from all previous environments in which humans have lived. The course contains the full diversity of research, not only in terms of theories, but also in terms of methods. Students learn that they can use different research methods to study the same issues, and they learn to identify the unique strengths and disadvantages of these approaches. In this way, the course prepares students for mixed methods research.

Teaching Methods

Seminars. An active academic participation is expected, which means that you are prepared for every meeting, participate actively and positively in class. This includes both class discussions and informal in-class assignments, including writing tasks. Please note that participation is mandatory in all meetings.

Method of Assessment

Oral Exam (40%)Portfolio of Four Assignments, 15% each (60%)

Literature

Hyperlinks to the syllabus and selected articles will be available on Canvas. For students who feel a deficiency in some respects a list of additional literature is available.
Academic year1/09/2431/08/25
Course level6.00 EC

Language of Tuition

  • English

Study type

  • Master