Social Media & Social Theory

The course deals with the representation of social relations in networked digital media with an emphasis on the corresponding impact on social interactions. It provides an overview of the development of social media platforms and discusses the evolution of new media practices as a result of these platforms. The focus is on the ways social theories understand, frame, explain and reflect upon social media and related phenomena. Furthermore, the course deals with the means of connecting theoretical approaches to data analyses. Four different perspectives, namely political economy, participation and activism, values inscribed in technology, and everyday media practices, are introduced as a basis for discussing the development of social media. Instruction is in the form of lectures and seminars, and individual/group assignments.