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......@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ Theoretical approaches concerning the "**death of data**" were a tutorial topic
Fichtelman, C. A. (2018). _Right to be forgotten: a legal research guide_ (Ser. Legal research guides, volume 73). William S. Hein & Co.
Koro-Ljungberg, M., MacLure, M., & Denzin, N. K. (2013). [“the death of data?”](https://doi.org/10.1177/1532708613487882) Cultural Studies :left_right_arrow: Critical Methodologies, 13(4), 353–356.
Koro-Ljungberg, M., MacLure, M., & Denzin, N. K. (2013). [“the death of data?”](https://doi.org/10.1177/1532708613487882) Cultural Studies \<-\> Critical Methodologies, 13(4), 353–356.
St. Pierre, Adams E. (2011). “Post qualitative research: The critique and the coming after.” In Denzin N. K., Lincoln Y. S. (Eds.), _Handbook of qualitative research_, 4/e (pp. 611-626). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
......@@ -186,7 +186,6 @@ Digital literacy and data literacy were addressed in the BA DS courses "What is
The concept of **eudaimonia** goes back to the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle and is commonly translated as "happiness" or "welfare". In Aristotle's writing, eudaimonia was the highest human good. Concepts of "happiness" or the "good life" (in the context of a digital society) were the central theme of the BA DS course "The Good Life", in which you discussed welfare practices (e.g. **e-health**), "**virtue ethics**", and the concept of “**Responsible Research and Innovation**" (RRI). RRI, according to the European Commission, means that different societal actors work together in research and innovation processes to better align procedures and outcomes with the values, needs and expectations of European society.
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Different authors have shaped **feminist theory** as a research approach, often in conjunction with the **five waves** of cultural and political feminism. A recent strand of feminist theory which pays particular attention to power relations and biases in the digital age is [data feminism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Feminism). Feminist theory not only concerns women's societal roles but also considers [intersectionality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersectionality) and challenges hierarchies and inequalities more generally.
D'Ignazio, C., & Klein, L. F. (2020). _Data feminism_ (Ser. Ideas series). MIT Press.
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**Identity** was discussed in several BA DS courses, including "Making Your Own Online Presence" and "idt1". In the digital age, identity is often linked with deliberate **self-branding** on digital platforms.
\[_Summary by Monika Barget_\]
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......@@ -231,10 +227,8 @@ D'Ignazio, C., & Klein, L. F. (2020). _Data feminism_ (Ser. Ideas series). MIT P
The role of **imaginaries and metaphors** in our interactions with technology was an essential topic of the BA DS course "What is a digital society?". (Social) imaginaries are (collective) ideas, practices, or values that shape the identity of a group of people or society as a whole. **Socio-technical imaginaries** are a concept that helps us analyse relations between scientific or technological developments on the one hand and institutions and power structures on the other.
**Metaphors** are figures of speech that describe an object through comparison or through an image which we would commonly associate with a different object or context. Alongside imaginaries, metaphors can give valuable insights into underlying emotions or expectations that people cannot with technological change.
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Theories of **(social) inequality** aim to explain imbalances in resources and power. More **functionalist theories** of inequality assume that certain forms of inequality or inevitable or desirable, fulfilling essential functions in the development of societies. Other theories highlight the conflicts driving or resulting from social disparities. **Relational inequality theory** (RIT) describes how structures shape inequality through social interaction. **Cumulative Inequality Theory or Cumulative Disadvantage Theory** goes back to the 1980s studies of sociologist Robert King Merton and analyses how imbalances develop.
Merton, R. K. (1988). [The Matthew effect in science, ii: cumulative advantage and the symbolism of intellectual property](https://www.jstor.org/stable/234750). Isis, 79(4), 606–623.
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......@@ -265,7 +257,6 @@ Merton, R. K. (1988). [The Matthew effect in science, ii: cumulative advantage a
The theory of **information disorder** tries to make sense of the problematic or harmful side effects that (digital) communication can have on society as a whole or upon specific groups and people. Concepts commonly linked with information disorder are misinformation, disinformation and malformation. Different approaches to information disorder were covered in the "Controversies in Digital Society" course (formerly called "Critical Debates").
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......@@ -279,7 +270,6 @@ The theory of **information disorder** tries to make sense of the problematic or
The social science theory of the **information society** highlights the role of information and information technology in modern society. In use since the 1970s, the concept has often been used in opposition to the "industrial society". In the BA DS course "What is a digital society?", the implications of information in the digital age were a central theme.
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Social sciences approaches to **(artificial) intelligence** were at the heart of the BA DS course "Artificial Society". The course critically reflected on the idea of "building intelligence" and introduced utopias inspired by innovation in **artificial intelligence (AI)**. **Artificial Intelligence** refers to the theory and development of computer systems that _learn_ intelligently and perform advanced tasks linked with visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, or translation. Artificial intelligence is thus connected with machine learning and deep learning. Moreover, artificial intelligence is vital in recent efforts to create an **intelligent internet of things**, also referred to as an **Artificial intelligence of things** (AIoT).
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The BA DS course "Making Knowledge and Manufacturing Doubt" discussed **theories of knowledge**. This course addressed knowledge practices, knowledge dissemination and utilisation, and **post-truth**. **Agnotology** is a field of research that examines the cultural creation and maintenance of knowledge, ignorance and doubt. Crucial authors of the sociology of knowledge are Peter Buke and Robert King Merton.
Burke, P. (2012). A social history of knowledge (Vol. II, from the Encyclopédie to Wikipedia). Polity.
Burke, P. (2016). What is the history of knowledge? (Ser. What is history? series). Polity.
Burke, P. (2012). A social history of knowledge (Vol. II, from the Encyclopédie to Wikipedia). Polity.Burke, P. (2016). What is the history of knowledge? (Ser. What is history? series). Polity.
Merton, R. K. (1937). [The sociology of knowledge](https://doi.org/10.1086/347276). Isis, 27, 493–503.
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......@@ -330,7 +313,6 @@ Merton, R. K. (1937). [The sociology of knowledge](https://doi.org/10.1086/34727
**Media theory** focuses on the effects of the introduction, dissemination and widespread usage of new media, including new learning experiences and new ways of representing the world. Media theory analyses how new media change the relationship between (human) subjects and technologies, for example, concerning identity and community.
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......@@ -344,7 +326,6 @@ Merton, R. K. (1937). [The sociology of knowledge](https://doi.org/10.1086/34727
**Monster Theory** is a theoretical approach that considers concepts of _monstrosity_ in culture, ranging from folklore to digital art. Monster Theory discusses social exclusion, the challenges of change, and collective fears that shape a society. The BA DS programme introduced Monster Theory in the "Digital Cultures" course.
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......@@ -358,10 +339,8 @@ Merton, R. K. (1937). [The sociology of knowledge](https://doi.org/10.1086/34727
**Narrative theory** is based on the concept that people are essentially storytellers. Storytelling is one of the oldest and most universal forms of communication. Individuals approach their social world narratively and base their decisions and actions on these stories [(Fisher 1984](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1984.tb02986.x)). **Narrative theories** in literature and media studies suggest that the form and structure of stories (in a broad sense) depend on the media in which they are told.
Walter R. Fisher, [The Narrative Paradigm: in the Beginning, ](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1984.tb02986.x)_Journal of Communication_, Volume 34, Issue 1, March 1984, Pages 74–87.
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**Political economy** is an interdisciplinary branch of social science which analysis relationships between individuals, governments and economic markets. It takes a particular interest in public policy and is concerned with "**public goods**" and political accountability. Political economy analyses interrelations and interactions on different levels, ranging from regional case studies to **international political economy** (IPE).
The BA DS course "Digitalisation and Politics" discussed political economy with a view to **platform capitalism** and **democratic practices** in the digital age.
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......@@ -392,7 +369,6 @@ The BA DS course "Digitalisation and Politics" discussed political economy with
The BA DS course "What is a digital society?" mentioned the concept of a **post-digital society**. This concept relates to the **social, cultural and technical conditions** created by a (presumably chaotic and ongoing) digital revolution. The term 'post-digital' is primarily used to describe challenges in media, arts and design.
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In historical and political terms, postcolonialism describes the period following Western colonialism. As a theoretical framework, postcolonialism helps us analyse the experiences and perspectives of societies, governments and peoples in the formerly colonised regions of the world. Moreover, it allows us to conceptualise more recent forms of _colonialist_ or _imperialist_ strategies in politics or business (also cf. [data colonialism](https://purdue.edu/critical-data-studies/collaborative-glossary/data-colonialism.php)).
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**Smart cities** were addressed in several BA DS courses, including "Digitalisation and Politics". The digital transformation of **cities** is a challenge in terms of infrastructure, policy, and ethics. Academic studies, therefore, analyse city ecosystems and suggest solutions for this transformation.
Gassmann, O., Böhm Jonas, & Palmié Maximilian. (2019). Smart cities: introducing digital innovation to cities. Emerald Publishing
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**Standardisation** was discussed in the BA DS courses "Regulating the Digital" and "Controversies in Digital Society" (formerly: "Critical Debates"). "Controversies in Digital Society" mentioned standardisation in the context of (digital) infrastructures and focused on the development and promotion of **industry standards** aiming to make technologies more compatible, interoperable and reliable. "Regulating the Digital" placed the focus on standardisation as **legislative norm-setting**. In this course, the tutorials covered **multi-level governance** (including intergovernmentality), **legitimacy**, **financialization** and "**soft law**" (quasi-legal instruments).
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**Surveillance theories** have developed in different academic fields and often across disciplines. Theories of surveillance conceptualise the material/physical and spatial aspects of watching over (groups of) people and organisational mechanisms. Theories of surveillance relate to concepts of privacy, state power and cultures of control. Surveillance was extensively discussed in your BA DS course "Surveillance Society".
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**Utopias** related to digital transformations were discussed in the BA DS courses "Artificial Society", "The Good Life", and "Digital Cultures". Utopias, in general, imagine positive, perfected places or conditions. **Digital utopianism** is also referred to as **cyber-utopianism**, **web-utopianism**, **digital utopianism** or the concept of a **utopian internet**. This form of **technological utopianism** rose in the 1990s and imagines a collaborative, inclusive, libertarian and democratic world based on the Internet. This positive interpretation of the digital negates cold-war fears of "**mechanical conformity**" and the "**military-industrial complex**" (Turner, 2006).
Turner, F. (2006). _From counterculture to cyberculture: Stewart Brand, the Whole Earth Network, and the rise of digital utopianism_. University of Chicago Press.
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......@@ -482,7 +451,6 @@ Turner, F. (2006). _From counterculture to cyberculture: Stewart Brand, the Whol
**Visual communication** is communication through images in a broad sense. In the humanities and social sciences, the visible as an analytical category gained increasing importance in the 1990s (see literature on the "linguistic" or "iconic" turn). The BA DS programme addressed theories and concepts related to visual communication in the "Digital Cultures" course.
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