Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2024 - CMNS 235 D100

Digital Democracies (3)

Class Number: 1175

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

    Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Introduces students to the study of the relationship between public communication, information media practices and structures, and democracy. Examines the role of media and communication in existing and emerging democratic contexts, including print and electronic journalism, alternative media, public spheres, and the challenges of constructing and maintaining a democratic media and communication environment in Canadian and global contexts.

COURSE DETAILS:

Technological infrastructure shapes what forms of political life are possible within a society.  Political campaigns, investigative journalism, public engagement, protest, government — all unfold on different time scales, in different forms, and with different consequences depending on what machines they use.  This course explores the forms of political life that have taken shape in Western democracies in and through modern digital computing.  We will investigate especially a perceived tension at the heart of computing technologies — from artificial intelligence to social media — as they have been introduced to so many corners of political life:  Are computing technologies agents of liberation and democratization, or of surveillance control?  The Internet, for example, was embraced by many in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries as an inherently democratizing and liberating force, giving users equal access to voice and information.  On the other hand, many feared the Internet would become an unprecedented platform for corporate and government surveillance and manipulation.  This course will analyze and historicize this tension, looking to unpack the complex and controversial role of computers in democratic political life, from the Cold War to the unprecedented spate of global of elections in 2024.

Grading

  • Tutorial Attendance and Engagement 20%
  • Tutorial Preparation Assignments 10%
  • Primary Source Analysis 20%
  • Report on a 2024 Election 20%
  • Final Exam 30%

NOTES:

Students must attend both lectures and weekly tutorials.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

All readings will be posted on Canvas the week prior.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website 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

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.