Culture & Identity in the Digital Age

In this 200-level sociology course, we ask: what does it mean to live in a networked world, where our offline lives are increasingly and irrevocably tied to digital spaces? The popularity of phrases like “in real life” represent a common view of the physical world as something wholly distinct from and superior to the digital realm. Still, the digital realm has proven to have very real consequences, which increasingly structure individuals’ opportunities and experiences in everyday life. Beyond the vast array of viral posts and status-seeking influencers, the networked world provides seemingly endless opportunities for social interaction, identity construction, community building, and indeed, the (reproduction of systemic inequalities and political polarization. With these concerns in mind, this course will examine the role digital media and communication technologies play in the shaping of culture as well as the organization and maintenance of contemporary social life. (Dual-listed as FILM 240).