Digital Communities

This unit examines the growing dominance of social media as a factor of our social, political, financial and cultural life. Students will develop a critical approach to social media by exploring a range of platforms and contexts, uses and practices. At the same time, we view social media from a number of theoretical perspectives in order to assess their role and increasing dominance in our daily lives and in the wider socio-political landscape. Students will use this knowledge and critical understanding to explore strategic, creative and productive uses of social media tools.

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Investigate the areas of social media that are central to our experience of various digital communities
2. Critically analyse social media using contemporary media theories
3. Critically discuss the impact of social media on our cultural, social, political and economic communities
4. Evaluate the impact of contemporary issues in the area of social media
5. Engage in critical social commentary around issues related to digital communities