Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE SOC2063

 
TITLE Sociology of Cyberspace

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Sociology

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit will focus on ‘cyberspace’ as a computer generated environment that is fundamentally social in conception, operation and effects. It will critically explore the social implications of the process and consequences of computer mediated communications.

Sociological theory will not be the main focus of the unit, however it will be used to engage with concepts such as Self and Identity management (Cooley, Mead, Goffman); Hyper-reality (Baudrillard), Power, knowledge and control (Foucault), Social Capital (Putnam, Bourdieu). Some sociological background is therefore an advantage.

Study-unit Aims:

To critically explore the social implications of the process and consequences of computer mediated communications.

The focus will be on key issues such as:
• Spatial: ‘cyberspace’: virtual? real? ‘shared imagination’?
• Agentic: the ‘virtual body’ - self and identity management
• Networks and social capital: virtual communities – “facebook capital”.
• Power: ‘cyber democracy’ - power, knowledge and social change.
• Deviance in cyberspace: norms and social control.
• Ethics: privacy and trust.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
• Highlight the key social processes that occur in ‘cyberspace’.
• Use sociological concepts and refer to theory appropriately to engage critically with the issues.
• Refer to first-hand experience during classroom discussions and written assessments, to demonstrate clear understanding of these concepts.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
• Think critically about this contemporary revolution in social communication and use sociological concepts to explore it.
• Use online and library resources selectively and critically to augment study-unit material.
• Contribute effectively and confidently during group discussions, using logical arguments and applying the relevant sociological concepts to address the debate.
• Present a brief, well structured, reflective assignment based on their own experience of a selected ‘cyber- activity’ demonstrating critical engagement with the concepts at play and their social implications; and using consistent and sound citation and referencing techniques.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

• BELL, D., 2000. The cybercultures reader. Routledge.
• HOLMES, D., 1998. Virtual politics: Identity and community in cyberspace. Sage Publications Limited.
• JORDAN, T., 1999. Cyberpower: The culture and politics of cyberspace and the Internet. Routledge.
• KOLLOCK, P. and SMITH, M., 1999. Communities in cyberspace. Communities in cyberspace, , pp. 3-25.

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Pre-requisite Qualifications: Students are required to have working knowledge of computer generated social media as this will be necessary as part of the written assigned task for assessment.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment Yes 50%
Examination (1 Hour) Yes 50%

 
LECTURER/S Gillian M. Martin

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit