Digital Activism and Citizenship in Datafied Societies (L3131A)

15 credits, Level 6

Autumn teaching

On this module, you’ll use the idea of digital citizenship to address:

  • how citizens today use digital technologies to support social justice
  • how digital networks have changed social movements
  • whether online activism leads to real change or simply a form of slacktivism
  • if it reinforces neoliberal forms of power.

Digital citizenship is empowerment through digital action, including how people assert their identities in relation to the state. This also includes how rights are changing, and how everyday citizenship is informal, performative and participatory.

You’ll explore the key topics, perspectives and debates in digital citizenship. You’ll also assess whether digital action can support democracy, while considering forces that undermine it, such as:

  • data collection
  • surveillance capitalism
  • information gatekeeping
  • networked authoritarianism.

Teaching

100%: Seminar

Assessment

100%: Written assessment (Essay)

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 20 hours of contact time and about 130 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2025/26. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

Courses

This module is offered on the following courses: