84705 - Information Society

Learning outcomes

Changes in social relations, political participation and social innovation are key features in understanding contemporary societies. The course focuses on these topics with specific reference to the most recent and salient events. At the end of the course the student a) has acquired the tools for reading and interpreting the ‘Information society’ , its own dynamics and current transformations; b) is capable of evaluating the social, political and economic implications of Information and Communication technologies.

Course contents

This course foresees a very active involvement on the participants.

There are some mandatory and additional non mandatory readings for each week that set the base for in-class debate and discussion .

On VIRTUALE you'll find a constantly updated syllabus with assignments and readings week per week.

All articles are available as electronic resource in the Unibo online repository you could also access from home.

1st week: History and theories of the information society

2nd week: Digital divides and digital inequalities

3rd week: Smart cities and social inequalities

4th week: The age of surveillance capitalism and algorithms

5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th week:

Artificial intelligence and its social and political implications

10th week: Public presentation of individual and group works.

Readings/Bibliography

See VIRTUALE  for details

Teaching methods

The course is organized with a part of lectures taught online on MS TEAMS (20 hours) and another taught in presence (20 hours). The number of students allowed in class is determined on the basis of class capacity and by the health and safety provisions that deal with the pandemic emergency. In case more students want to attend classes in presence than permitted by the rules, a system of shifts will be organized so to allow students to participate. Regardless of the health-related conditions and the specific organization of the course, students will be able to follow the lessons of the entire course remotely on MS TEAMS.

There will be one weekly meeting (4 hours) consisting in three parts (traditional teaching, in-class activity and active discussion of mandatory articles/book chapters).

 

Assessment methods

The final decision about taking this course is due on the 2nd week, October 1st. 

For attendees

Once defined the number of attendees, workgroups are created and workflow organized  through individual presentations and assignments .

Attendees can miss only 2 classes.

Final assessment:

2 in-class presentations and remote participation: 20%

1 mid-term report: 20%

Final paper: 60%.

 

For non attendees:

A paper of 6000words and a take home exam are expected upon clearing the topic choice with the professor.

 

 

Office hours

See the website of Laura Sartori