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CSCS 155

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE

3 credits.

Social media is a strategic tool to help organizations, advocacy groups, and individuals advance social justice initiatives to create a more equitable future. Analyze historical campaigns to evaluate social media presence, audience focus, communication goals, content resonance, storytelling techniques, and audience engagement. Explore ethical topics tied to social media as a communications and organizing medium including: first amendment rights and the emerging regulation of social media platforms; source authenticity and the weaponization of misinformation in an era of rapidly evolving technology; privacy in an increasingly connected world; biases built into our technology; and equity of technology access.

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: None Course Designation: Core GenEd - Civics & Perspectives Breadth - Social Science Level - Elementary L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Spring 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Explore the history of social media as a communications tool to build a social movement and catalyze change Audience: Undergraduate 2. Analyze a campaign, recommend the most effective ways to reach and motivate diverse audience segments Audience: Undergraduate 3. Build information literacy, critically evaluate information sources and motives of the communicator Audience: Undergraduate 4. Differentiate ethical vs. unethical use of social media technology to foster community and relationships that advance well-being, public discourse, and civil society Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Explore the history of social media as a communications tool to build a social movement and catalyze change Audience: Undergraduate 2. Analyze a campaign, recommend the most effective ways to reach and motivate diverse audience segments Audience: Undergraduate 3. Build information literacy, critically evaluate information sources and motives of the communicator Audience: Undergraduate 4. Differentiate ethical vs. unethical use of social media technology to foster community and relationships that advance well-being, public discourse, and civil society Audience: Undergraduate

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