75074 - Web Society and Globalization

Academic Year 2014/2015

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in International Relations (cod. 8782)

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to distinguish and analyze the different notions of globalization, and how information technologies affect everyday life, markets, and the process of consumption. In particular, the student will be able to: - develop an understanding of “Globalization” through a sociological lens - understand the culture of the Internet and the relationship between globalization and web society - analyze the impact on individual behaviors and society at large within Social Networks & Online Communities through the mainstreaming of private information posted to the public sphere - frame the emergence of a new rhetoric of “democratization” and participation in the web society - understand the changing relationship between producers, consumers and “prosumers” in the web society - recognize consequences and effects of the Digital Divide nationally and worldwide.

Course contents

A printed detailed syllabus will be provided to students the first day of class  
 the four learning modules that structure the course are
1 globalizations 
2 web society e social media 
3 production consumption prosumption 
4 digital divide and inequalities

Each module will have specific reading material and planned classroom activities

Readings/Bibliography

Students may choose one of the following books: 

- The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies.

Erik Brynjolfsson e Andrew McAfee 

- Social Media. A Critical Introduction. 

Christian Fuchs

- Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a Networked Culture

Henry Jenkins, Sam Ford e Joshua Green

During the lectures will be given mandatory specific teaching materials also available via a username and password at AMS Campus - AlmaDL - University of Bologna.

Teaching methods

Lectures 
Students are expected to be prepared on the assigned readings before each class  
Participation is expected and rewarded.

Assessment methods

Midterm exam will be planned during classes   
At least one written paper will be requested to each student during the semester 
The final exam aims to assess the achievement of learning objectives  
No Make up exams 

Teaching tools

Teaching materials: the didactic material presented in class will be made available to the student in electronic format. Such material should be printed and brought to class.  Log in: http://campus.unibo.it/  Username and password are reserved for students enrolled at the University of Bologna.

Office hours

See the website of Piergiorgio Degli Esposti