Digitalised Societies: A Socio-Technical Analysis - JSB726

• Anglický název: Digitalised Societies: A Socio-Technical Analysis
• Zajišťuje: Katedra sociologie (23-KS)
• Fakulta: Fakulta sociálních věd
• Platnost: od 2025
• Semestr: letní
• E-Kredity: 7
• Způsob provedení zkoušky: letní s.:
• Rozsah, examinace: letní s.:1/1, Zk [HT]
• Počet míst: 70 / 75 (70)
• Minimální obsazenost: neomezen
• 4EU+: ne
• Virtuální mobilita / počet míst pro virtuální mobilitu: ne
• Stav předmětu: vyučován
• Jazyk výuky: angličtina
• Způsob výuky: prezenční
• Poznámka: předmět je možno zapsat mimo plán; povolen pro zápis po webu; při zápisu přednost, je-li ve stud. plánu
• Garant: Mgr. Andrea Hrůzová, Ph.D.
• Vyučující: Hana Drštičková; José Javier Fernández del Barrio; Mgr. Andrea Hrůzová, Ph.D.; Mgr. Anna Katrňáková; Tibor Vocásek
• Třída: Courses for incoming students
• Neslučitelnost : JSB532
• Prerekvizity : JSB740
• Je neslučitelnost pro: JSB532
• Je záměnnost pro: JSB532

Anotace

The course provides an introduction to the sociological understanding of how information and communication technologies shape contemporary societies. The course focuses on social, cultural, political, and economic implications of the diffusion of digital media in late modernity. The lectures provide an overview of the historical development of digital media and discuss various spheres of social life which have been significantly transformed by the presence of digital media: self-presentation, social relationships, political engagement, hate speech, racism, or economy. A focus is given to the politics of digital media as well as to the politics through social media. Lectures are accompanied by seminars run in a smaller group of students to allow everyone to engage in discussion through the reflection of reading. The final two weeks of the semester are dedicated to the intense and guided work on a final essay in thematically established groups.

The course has a relationship with the course “Digital Ethnography”. It is highly recommended that students attend the course “Digitalized Societies” FIRST.

There should be no simultaneous combination of this course with the class “Mediated Societies,” the “Mediated Societies” course should be attended FIRST.

Poslední úprava: Hrůzová Andrea, Mgr., Ph.D. (27.01.2025)

Cíl předmětu

Course Objectives
1. Understanding of the ways in which information and communication technologies shape contemporary societies.
2. Development of the knowledge about social, cultural, political and economic implications of the diffusion of digital media in late modernity.
3. Critical examination of one´s own position within the contemporary communication infrastructure.

Poslední úprava: Hrůzová Andrea, Mgr., Ph.D. (31.01.2024)

Podmínky zakončení předmětu

Assessment methods

• mandatory attendance of 80% (will be monitored, acceptance of 3 absences throughout the whole semester) 

• seminar reading reflections: in total 5 reflections - 3 points per reflection (in total 15 points)

  • • reading reflection consists of answering the following questions related to the text (600 words):

      • What is the main information of the text?

      • What have I learned?

      • What examples from my everyday/professional life can I provide that relate to the text?

      • Was I missing some information/example/data in the text?

    • reading reflection is submitted via Moodle 24 hours before the seminar

    • seminar homework projects: in total 5 mini homework assignments - 3 points per homework (in total 15 points)

      • homework is submitted along with the reading reflection via Moodle 48 hours before the seminar

  • LATE SUBMISSION OF REFLECTION & HOMEWORK = 0 POINTS

  • TWO MISSING SUBMISSIONS OF REFLECTION & HOMEWORK = MINUS ONE GRADE

  •  first articulation of the final essay - 10 points

    • submitted in the week no. 12 via Moodle, followed by the feedback received in the seminar group

    • consists of title, goal(s), research question, theoretical blurb, proposed methodology, ethics, and two references outside the seminar reading (400 words) 

  • final mini-research submission - 60 points

    • 1800 words (excluding references)

    • final project in the form of a mini research (template will be provided), submitted via Moodle in three officially announced deadlines

  it is necessary to reach 30 points to pass the class

In the course, there is the ZERO AI USE policy. If there is a suspicion for the use of an AI tool, a material is going through an AI detector tool and there is an oral examination of students regarding the research process and the content of the submitted material.

A - F grading system

91 + = A
81-90 = B
71-80 = C
61-70 = D
51-60 = E
0-50 = F

Overview of Seminar Groups 

Andrea Průchová Hrůzová Monday 9.30 B103B
Tibor Vocásek Wednesday 17.00 B228
Hana Drštičková Tuesday 18.30 C121
José Javier Fernández del Barrio 18.30 C221
Anna Katrňáková Tuesday 17.00 C121

Extra Curricular Activity: ROBOTIC WORKSHOP in the National Technical Library 

• 8. 4. 9.00 (sign-up document will be shared at the beginning of the semester)
• 8. 4. 11.00 (sign-up document will be shared at the beginning of the semester)

Poslední úprava: Hrůzová Andrea, Mgr., Ph.D. (13.02.2026)

Literatura

Compulsory readings for seminars (listed by weeks):

week 2:

• Divon, Tom, and Moa Eriksson Krutrök. (2023). „TikTok(ing) Ukraine: Meme-based Expressions of Cultural Trauma on Social Media." In Mortenssen, Mette and Mervi Pantti (eds): Media and the War in Ukraine, Peter Lang Verlag , p. 119–136.

week 4:

• Vilem Flusser. 1983/2000. “The Apparatus” (chapter) in Towards the Philosophy of Photography, 21-32 - submission of reading reflection

week 6:

• Duffy, B., & Hund, E. (2019). Gendered Visibility on Social Media: Navigating Instagram’s Authenticity Bind. International Journal Of Communication, 13, 20. 

week 8:

• Ging, Debbie. 2017. ‘Alphas, Betas, and Incels: Theorizing the Masculinities of the Manosphere’. Men and Masculinities 22(4):638–57. doi: 10.1177/1097184X17706401

week 11:

• Cohen, M., Khavkin, M., Movsowitz Davidow, D., & Toch, E. (2024). ChatGPT in the public eye: Ethical principles and generative concerns in social media discussions. New Media & Society, 28(1), 5-31. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448241279034

 

Recommended literature:

Barassi, V. (2019). Datafied Citizens in the Age of Coerced Digital Participation. Sociological Research Online, 24(3), 414-429.

Fisher, E. and Fuchs, C. (eds.) 2015. Reconsidering value and labour in the digital age. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Gane, N., & Beer, D. (2008). New media: The key concepts. Oxford: Berg

Kelty, C. (2008). Two Bits: The Cultural Significance of Free Software. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008.

Lupton, Deborah (2013) Digital Sociology. London: Routledge.

Marres, N. (2017). Digital sociology: The reinvention of social research. London: John Wiley & Sons.

Miller, V. (2011). Understanding digital culture. London: SAGE Publications.

Orton-Johnson, K. and N. Prior (Eds) (2013) Critical Perspectives in Digital Sociology, Palgrave MacMillan, Basingstoke.

Poslední úprava: Hrůzová Andrea, Mgr., Ph.D. (20.01.2026)

Metody výuky

Teaching methods:  

Frontal lectures accommodate Q & A parts and provoke questions meant to be discussed in seminar groups.

Seminar groups provide the space for reading reflection and open, yet safe collective dabate in a smaller group of students.

One final week is dedicated to making students well prepared for the essay writing.

The course content and homeworks should be available and submitted via the Moodle.

Extra Curricular Activity: ROBOTIC WORKSHOP in the National Technical Library 

• 8. 4. 9.00 (sign-up document will be shared at the beginning of the semester)

• 8. 4. 11.00 (sign-up document will be shared at the beginning of the semester)

Poslední úprava: Hrůzová Andrea, Mgr., Ph.D. (20.01.2026)

Sylabus

For detailed information regarding the syllabus, please visit the Moodle page.

1st week: lecture Digitalized Societies: Course Intro 

• introduction to the course

• formal characteristics of the course

• week by week content 

• discussion of everyday digital media experience with students

2nd week:  Seminar reading & Homework project

3rd week: lecture Theory of New Media 

• how old are the new media: Convergent culture (H. Jenkins)

• participatory online cultures (H. Jenkins, fandom)

• the power of Apparatus (V. Flusser)

• principles of new media (L. Manovich) 

• geology of new media (J. Parikka) 

• digital capitalism and digital surveillance (S. Zuboff)

4th week: Seminar reading & Homework project

5th week: Guest Lecture by Marie Heřmanová on Identity, Self-branding and Social Media 

• identity construction, self-branding (from Goffman to TikTok algorithm)

• authenticity on social media and its gendered aspects (Jefferson, Duffy, Banet-Weiser)

• selfies and self-presentation (Abidin)

6th week: Seminar reading & Homework project

7th week: lecture Digital Social Movements 

• digital born movements (BLM, DTP, hashtag activism #MeToo)

• planetary mediated public sphere (networked activism, H. Rosa) 

• digital racism (E. Siapera) - digital nationalism (S. Mihejl)

• hate as an online mobilizing instrument (from migration crisis to platformed far-right politics)

• misogyny as an online practice, toxic representation of gender identities on social media (tradwifes and incels)

8th week: Easter Holiday 6. 4. 2026

9th week: Seminar reading & Homework project

10th week: Guest Lecture by Juraj Hvorecký on Ethical Aspects of AI

11th week: Seminar reading & Homework project

12th week: Research Practices in the Digital Realm & mini-research draft submission

 13th week:  Seminar consultations of mini-research projects

 

 

Poslední úprava: Hrůzová Andrea, Mgr., Ph.D. (20.01.2026)