The Sociology of Cyberspace

Course Programme

Room 3.03, Manton Building 10.00am -12.00 midday
PC lab 1.12, Manton Building, 12noon - 1pm

The course is an consolidated, one-term unit which will be taught in the Autumn term only on Monday mornings

Sep 29: Introduction to the unit
- aims, learning outcomes, skills, assessment methods, details of assessments
- online resources: a demonstration of the online resources available and the types of use we will make of then

Oct 6: The Web as Global Information System
- How big is the web?
- What do people do on the web?
- Web v libraries

Oct 13: Using the Web as an information source
-
the dominance of the search engines
- specialist search techniques
- the invisible web

Oct 20: Blogging
- Publishing on the Web - The Rise of the Blog
- how to develop you own web presence

Oct 27: The digital divide
- importance of the digital divide in developed countries
- the digital divide and development
- social exclusion in the online world

Nov 3: Progression week - I will be available to provide assistance with assignments

Nov 10: The Internet, Self and Identity
- personal identity in cyberspace
- identity and privacy
- group identity

Nov 17:Censorship, Privacy and Control
- Privacy issues
- Censorship and freedom of speech
- legislating the Net
- case studies

Nov 24: Community, Social Capital and the Internet
- Defining Community & the Putnam thesis
- Social Capital and the growth of virtual communities
- Manuel Castells and the Network Society
- communities online and online communities
- Student presentations

Dec 1: Social Movements on the Web (1)
-
case study1 : new religious movements
- Student presentations

Dec 8: Social Movements on the Web (2)
- case study 2: extreme right wing groups on the Net
- Student presentations

Dec 15: In Class Assessment (INCA)
11.00 - 12.30 in Manton 1.19