Symposium: Issues in RTVF (398-0-20)

Topic

Digital Identities

Instructors

Nathaniel Rossi

Meeting Info

Parkes Hall 213: Mon, Wed 10:00AM - 11:20AM

Overview of class

How do we construct/perform our identities in digital spaces? What are the affordances and limitations of digital community building? How do the biases embedded in the technology industry shape who we can be online? Drawing on the field of digital media studies, students will explore these questions from a range of critical viewpoints, including feminist, queer, critical race, and ability perspectives. We will begin the course with a brief discussion of identity and the politics of belonging, before considering the ways in which Millennials and Generation Z have been "born into" digital worlds and how this has shaped contemporary social and cultural relations. Using this foundation, we will cover topics such as influencer culture, hashtag activism & social justice movements, surveillance and more across platforms including TikTok, Instagram, and X. In addition to noting the potential of digital media in creating more just futures, we will also consider the limitations of digital empowerment and the persistence of networked discrimination in online spaces.

Learning Objectives

• Identify and explore major themes and ideas related to digital media studies
• Develop a critical vocabulary and media literacy skills necessary for the study of identity and community in digital spaces
• Gain an understanding of various qualitative methodological approaches to the study of digital identities and the ethical concerns central to studying new media
• Apply these skills to a range of case studies that consider digital identities from feminist, queer, critical race, and ability perspectives

Class Materials (Required)

All readings will be available on Canvas.

Class Attributes

SoC Additional Distro