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Digital Culture: Key Concepts - TFT00114M

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  • Department: Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Richard Carter
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
    • See module specification for other years: 2023-24

Module summary

This core module introduces the student to concepts critical to the study of digital media and culture. Through weekly lectures and seminars, the module will analyse the theory and history of the interactions between culture, information, communication, and computational technologies. By the end of this module, students will be able to develop a rich understanding of key debates in the field, knowledge of the characteristics, creation and consumption of digital culture, and a fuller understanding of the impacts and uses of digital technologies and their relationship to cultural products and practice.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

This module aims to:

  • Provide an understanding of the key concepts that contextualise, frame, and articulate the critical academic study of contemporary digital media and the digital cultural environment more broadly.
  • Understand the core characteristics of digital media, and engage in debates concerning the influence of these on the cultural products and activites these enable.
  • Explore the purchase of different critical frameworks for assessing political, cultural, discursive, and ideological roles that digital media occupies, plays, and contests in society.

Module learning outcomes

Through completion of this module, you are expected to be able to:

  • Describe and critically a broad range of critical concepts and theoretical accounts of digital cultures, forms and practices.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with key debates and theories in the field
  • Critically assess the ways in which digital technologies and environments informs, affects, shapes and influences contemporary culture.
  • Demonstrate a depth of critical and analytical thinking in relation to digital cultures, their theories and philosophies.
  • Demonstrate independent research and writing on analysis of the impact of digital technology on contemporary culture.

Module content

Some of the topics this module may explore over its duration include:

  • Agency and Interactivity
  • Digital Space and Time
  • Online Identities and Communities
  • Trust and Accountability
  • Information and Ownership
  • Surveillance and Security

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay		 N/A 100

Module feedback

You will receive formative feedback on their presentation and participation skills over the course of the module during seminars. You will receive written feedback in line with standard University turnaround times.

Indicative reading

A typical illustration of the texts this module may engage over its duration include:

  • Ng, J. (2021) The Post-Screen Through Virtual Reality, Holograms and Light Projections: Where Screen Boundaries Lie. AUP.
  • Fuller, M., and Goffey, A. (2012) Evil Media. MIT.
  • Klimburg-witjes, N., Poechhacker, N., Bowker, G. (eds.) (2021) Sensing In/Security: Sensors as Transnational Security Infrastructures. Mattering Press.
  • Parikka, J. (2015) A Geology of Media. UMP.
  • Ryan, ML., Emerson, L., and Benjamin, R. (2014) Johns Hopkins Guide to Digital Media. JHUP.
  • Chun, WHK (2021) Discriminating Data: Discriminating Data Correlation, Neighborhoods, and the New Politics of Recognition. MIT.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.