Communication in the Networked Age

1 Course Unit

Communication technologies, including the internet, social media, and rapidly evolving AI tools, create the infrastructure and interface through which many of our interactions take place today. This form of networked communication opens new questions about how we establish relationships, engage in public conversation, seek information, build a sense of identity, or participate in social change. The ubiquitous adoption of new technologies has also produced, as a byproduct, new ways of observing the world: our interactions with other people and with machines (e.g., chatbots, search engines) leave a digital trail that, if followed, can help us unravel the effects of communication in unprecedented ways. This course will give you theoretical tools to critically analyze the impact that networked technologies have on social life and inform your assessment of current controversies and open debates surrounding the social impact of these technologies. Not Offered Every Year 1 Course Unit