#Sociology: Identity, Self and Others in a Digital Age
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| SOCI2040 | Sociology and Social Policy | 2 | 20 | Spring UK |
- Code
- SOCI2040
- School
- Sociology and Social Policy
- Level
- 2
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Spring UK
Summary
We now live in a digital age where new technology, online platforms, applications and wearable devices are an indispensable and, in some ways, an inescapable part of our lives. New digital technologies enable us to track our daily lives and routines, to filter our realities, to present different versions of ourselves, to form attachments and intimacies, engage in politics and protest. From the Selfie culture, through Tinder love and Twitter revolutions, new digital technologies and social media shape not only our perceptions of Self but also our relations with others. This module introduces students to the key debates in digital sociology, paying particular attention to the rise of new social media and how this affects identity, belonging, intimacy and civic participation. The main focus of this module is a critical engagement with how Web 2.0 has affected perceptions of self and social relations, exploring why some people engage with new technology whilst others actively resist it.
Target Students
Available to all level 2 and 3 students including subsidiary students from outside the school and exchange students.
Classes
This module is taught through a combination of lectures and seminars.
Assessment
- 40% Group Project: 1,500 words.
- 60% Coursework: 2,000 words.
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
The aim of the module is to introduce students to key debates in digital sociology and the rise of new social media: how new technologies are affecting perceptions of selves and relations with others. The module material will draw on particular themes (mainly identity but also intimacy, belonging and civic participation) in relation to social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Tinder, Instagram, Snapchat and others. Both digital engagement and resistance will be explored, critically assessing how we see ourselves and others through technology.Learning Outcomes
Intellectual skills
Students who successfully complete the module will be able to:
- Identify and discuss key issues in the recent development of digital sociology as a sub-discipline/field of study and how different perspectives may be used to explain a range of sociological issues drawing on appropriate evidence.
- Recognise and explain the complexity and diversity of the ways in which social media and digital technologies are studied and experienced by individuals and communities.
- Evaluate scholarly writing in digital sociology.
Professional/practical skills
Students who successfully complete the module will be able to:
- Write clearly and concisely.
- Engage critically with academic and non-academic literature.
- Communicate effectively by using visual material and images.
- Strengthen their ability to work in a team.
- Think in creative and innovative ways.
Transferable/key skills
Students who successfully complete the module will be able to demonstrate the following transferable/key skills:
- The capacity to develop an argument both verbally and in writing.
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
- Leadership and teamwork skills as well as strong abilities in self-management
- Creativity and innovation.