Summer 2020 - SA 315 D900
New Information Technology and Society (SA) (4)
Class Number: 4399
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
May 11 – Aug 10, 2020: Tue, 1:30–5:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Ataman Avdan
aavdan@sfu.ca
Office Hours: Tu 12:00-13:00, or by appointment
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
Explores the new social spaces and social practices fostered by new information technology. Special attention will be paid to who is making decisions about what technologies to adopt and how, what social changes are resulting, and who benefits and who loses. A significant portion of activity in this course will involve direct engagement with new information technology.
COURSE DETAILS:
The impact of new information technologies on our lives is never straightforward. New information technologies represent a complex set of practices, norms, and values that reflect and shape our understandings about community, temporality, gender, labour, inequality, personhood, privacy, space, and politics. They present contemporary societies with immense challenges and opportunities; they are changing our perceptions of ourselves, the world around us, the institutions we create, and the social relationships we form.
This course introduces students to the roles new information technologies play in society, and it examines the intersections between technological innovations and societal change. We will investigate how new information technologies mediate, alter, or entrench power relations, social hierarchies, and cultural practices. Since new information technologies depend on the broader socio-economic and political contexts, this course puts a strong emphasis on the contextual conditions that shape the relationships between technology, the individual, and society. The course covers topics and themes such as utopian and dystopian views of technology, acceleration, the embeddedness of digital technologies, technological determinism, IT use and skills, technology and the body, the digital divide, technology discourse, virtual communities, presumption, information commons, online dating, digital surveillance, social networking sites, e-democracy, and political participation through social media.
COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:
By the end of this course, students should be able to: 1) identify the main themes of sociology of new information technologies; 2) critically explore themes and key questions from the literature; 3) think critically, analytically, and creatively about technological and sociological problems contemporary societies experience; 4) have a detailed knowledge of a number of case studies.
Grading
- Participation (discussions and online activities) 15%
- Article presentation and discussion facilitation 15%
- Critical essay 20%
- Exam 1 25%
- Exam 2 25%
NOTES:
Grading: Where a final exam is scheduled and the student does not write the exam or withdraw from the course before the deadline date, an N grade will be assigned. Unless otherwise specified on the course syllabus, all graded assignments for this course must be completed for a final grade other than N to be assigned. An N is considered as an F for the purposes of scholastic standing.
Grading System: The Undergraduate Course Grading System is as follows:
A+ (95-100) | A (90-94) | A- (85-89) | B+ (80-84) | B (75-79) | B- (70-74) | C+ (65-69) | C (60-64) | C- (55-59) | D (50-54) | F (0-49) | N*
*N standing to indicate the student did not complete course requirements
Academic Dishonesty and Misconduct Policy: The Department of Sociology & Anthropology follows SFU policy in relation to grading practices, grade appeals (Policy T 20.01) and academic dishonesty and misconduct procedures (S10.01‐S10.04). Unless otherwise informed by your instructor in writing, in graded written assignments you must cite the sources you rely on and include a bibliography/list of references, following an instructor-approved citation style. It is the responsibility of students to inform themselves of the content of SFU policies available on the SFU website.
Materials
MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:
Universal Access Remote learning for this semester requires a computer or tablet, camera, and internet access. Most laptops and desktops are running OSX and Windows. Tablets may be Android, iOS or Windows based. Headsets are advised but not necessary. Note that students have access to free Office 365 or Adobe Creative Cloud found here.
REQUIRED READING:
All required readings will be available through Canvas, the SFU Library, or online.
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.
Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html
TEACHING AT SFU IN SUMMER 2020
Please note that all teaching at SFU in summer term 2020 will be conducted through remote methods. Enrollment in this course acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes.Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112) as soon as possible to ensure that they are eligible and that approved accommodations and services are implemented in a timely fashion.