SC508-7-SP-CO:
Digital Economy
2023/24
Sociology and Criminology
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 15 January 2024
Friday 22 March 2024
20
11 October 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MA NP5312 Advertising, Marketing and the Media,
MA NP53MO Advertising, Marketing and the Media
The digital economy and the social media landscape are rapidly transforming social structures and ways of living.
This module explores key features of the contemporary digital economy and addresses some of the following questions; how can we research digital cultures? What role do consumers play in producing the digital economy? What are the key differences between legacy media and social media? How have mobile phones transformed our lives?
The aims of this module are:
- to understand how digital economies can disrupt, shape and interact with social systems, using contemporary examples.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to:
- Develop an understanding of the digital economy as historically situated.
- Identify and reflect on key methodological issues raised by digital infrastructures for social research inquiry.
- Develop an understanding of participatory culture within the context of platform capitalism
- Problematize and situate online consumption in a wider social context.
- Examine assumptions of power, ownership and control in the digital economy.
- Develop an understanding of the role of technology in contemporary society
No additional information available.
Most modules at postgraduate level in Sociology are taught as a 2hr seminar. Most classes, labs and seminars will be taught face-to-face (assuming social distancing allows this). There may also be some online activities – either timetabled as a live online session or available on Moodle in the form of pre-recorded videos. You will be expected to watch this material and engage with any suggested activities before your seminar/class each week.
Please note that you should be spending up to ten hours per week undertaking your own private study (reading, preparing for classes or assignments, etc.) on each of your modules (e.g. 30 hours in total for three 20--credit modules).
This module SC508-7-SP will include a range of activities to help you and your teachers to check your understanding and progress. These are: reading discussion groups, presentations and an essay. Teaching will be delivered seminars, but students will also be provided with a range of online content including readings, videos, podcasts etc. Students should expect to engage with one academic reading, and one non-academic item (video, podcast, article) per week.
You are strongly encouraged to attend the classes/seminars as they provide an opportunity to talk with your class teacher and other students. The classes/seminars will be captured and available via Listen Again. However, if you want to gain the most you can from these seminars/classes it is very important that you attend and engage. Please note that the recording of seminars/classes is at the discretion of the teacher.
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Couldry, N. and Hepp, A. (2022) ‘Media and the Social Construction of Reality’, in D.A. Rohlinger and S. Sobieraj (eds)
The Oxford Handbook of Digital Media Sociology. Oxford University Press, pp. 27–39. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197510636.013.2.
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Di Ronco, A. and Allen-Robertson, J. (2021) ‘Representations of environmental protest on the ground and in the cloud: The NOTAP protests in activist practice and social visual media’,
Crime, Media, Culture: An International Journal, 17(3), pp. 375–399. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1177/1741659020953889.
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Gehl, R.W. (2016) ‘Power/freedom on the dark web: A digital ethnography of the Dark Web Social Network’,
New Media & Society, 18(7), pp. 1219–1235. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444814554900.
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Lincoln, S. and Robards, B. (2016) ‘Editing the project of the self: sustained Facebook use and growing up online’,
Journal of Youth Studies, pp. 1–14. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2016.1241869.
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Lupton, D. and Watson, and A. (2021) ‘Towards more-than-human digital data studies: developing research-creation methods’,
Qualitative Research, 21(4), pp. 463–480. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794120939235.
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Reid, L. and Ellsworth-Krebs, K. (2017) ‘Practicing energy prosumption: Using unsolicited online data to reveal the everyday realities of solar thermal panels in the United Kingdom’,
Energy Research & Social Science, 34, pp. 191–199. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2017.07.010.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Group presentation and report |
|
10% |
| Coursework |
Essay |
|
90% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Katy Wheeler, email: katy.wheeler@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Katy Wheeler, Prof Sean Nixon, Dr Maitrayee Deka, Dr Michael Bailey
socpgtad@essex.ac.uk
Yes
No
Yes
Dr David Clampin
Liverpool John Moores University
Subject Leader - History
Available via Moodle
Of 34 hours, 34 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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