Undergraduate Seminar (398-0-80)

Topic

Social Media, Power, & Emotion

Instructors

Heather Jaber

Meeting Info

Northwestern Qatar Room 2-255: Tues, Su 4:00PM - 5:15PM (AST)

Overview of class

Does Twitter intensify rage? Is virtual reality technology an empathy machine? Are digital technologies making us more emotional, or are we growing numb to the constant influx of information? In the context of a global pandemic, national and transnational mobilizations, and environmental precarity, questions of technology and its relationship to power are ever-present. At the same time, academic and popular discourse is recognizing the role of emotion in political life. This course discusses digital culture using emotion as an interpretive and diagnostic lens for shifting power relations. It examines both the everyday—from texting to online shopping—and the controversial or spectacular—from viral scandals to war coverage. We'll examine issues like platform monetization, social movements, artificial intelligence, geopolitics, surveillance, and branding by analyzing their emotional architectures. Throughout the semester, we will take a multimodal approach to the study of digital media, power, and emotion by engaging with academic and popular articles, podcasts, and films. By the end of this course, you will be able to discuss and critique contemporary issues around digital media and emotion, preparing you for a variety of career contexts, such as academia, industry, activism, or policy.

Registration Requirements

Prerequisites: None

Open to sophomores and above, MIT majors only

Satisfies Media & Politics Minor

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Registration is reserved for COMM Majors who are Sophomores and above.