The Knowledge Economy and Society

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This module concerns the rise and nature of the knowledge economy and society. The module adopts a historical perspective which traces the role of knowledge accumulation and dissemination in human societies from the cognitive revolution (around 70 000 BCE) to the present day. Emphasis falls on the agricultural revolution, knowledge accumulation in the ancient world, the development of market societies, the scientific revolution, the industrial revolution and, finally, the digital revolution. Throughout the investigation of these important phases of human development we consider the interaction between knowledge, technological advancement, and economic activity. In the final part of the module a range of contemporary debates concerning the economic and social impacts of computing technologies are considered