Digital Media and Culture: A Critical Perspective

A critical analysis of digital media focusing on the relationship between technology, society and culture. The primary objective of this course is to historicize and theorize processes and practices of digitization, interactivity and surveillance. We will start with an overview of theoretical debates on social and cultural impact of technology, and will proceed to explore digital media and culture in three parts: 1) Political and Economic Dimensions: new forms of culture and entertainment, changes in existing production, distribution and consumption patterns, issues of copyright and intellectual property, collection of personal information and surveillance, 2) Self and Identity: new forms or expressions of self and identity, shifting notions of the body, new forms of personal information, 3) Social Life and Culture: surveillance, online communities, social networking sites, mobile technology, Web 2.0, digital journalism, interactivity, politics and globalization.Prerequisites: Matriculation in the graduate Cinema and Media Studies program or permission of instructor

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