Undergraduate Course: Digital Media and Democracy (PLIT10173)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Can democracy survive and thrive in the digital age? Do citizens benefit from the multiple opportunities to learn about and get involved in politics afforded by the internet, social media, and private messaging, or do they use these tools mainly for entertainment and distraction? Do political parties and candidates rely on digital media to inform and engage citizens, or to monitor and manipulate them? What public policies do democracies need to reap the benefits and reduce the risks of digital technologies? And how will the increasing diffusion of Artificial Intelligence change democratic politics and governance? This course will answer these and other key questions for the future of democracy based on the latest research in politics, communication, and computer science. Thanks to this knowledge, students will develop a critical understanding of the role of digital media for democracy and engage with key contemporary public policy debates on these issues. |
| Course description |
This course will enable students to understand how digital media contribute to key processes and outcomes of democratic governance. The course will engage with key contemporary theories and evidence from political science, communication, and computer science to help students develop analytical, critical, and practical skills. These skills will enable students not only to critically reflect on these subjects, but also to contribute to key contemporary public policy debates on digital media and democracy, such as, for instance, the regulation of large digital platforms, measures to counter misinformation and disinformation, how to protect freedom of information from threats posed by hate speech and mass manipulation, how digital literacy can contribute to contemporary citizenship, and the challenges and opportunities of Artificial Intelligence. Topics may include: media and democracy; the production and consumption of political news; the acquisition of political knowledge; misinformation and disinformation; communication, persuasion and mobilization in election campaigns; political polarization; political participation; protest and social movements; Artificial Intelligence and politics.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have at least four Politics/IR courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this). Only university/college level courses will be considered. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
176 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Case study analysis - 40% - max 1500 words
Policy brief - 60% - max 2500 words |
| Feedback |
Formative feedback will be provided in conversation with the students during office hours (in person or online). The format and volume of feedback shall vary according to the type and scale of assessment ensuring feedback is targeted appropriately. All feedback shall facilitate student learning by helping students evaluate and develop their performance. Students shall be given sufficient time to reflect and act upon feedback between assignments, where this is practical. Students shall be given clear expectations regarding the timing and methods of feedback. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Develop a critical understanding of how different digital media facilitate or hinder key democratic processes and outcomes.
- Apply normative and empirical political theories to understand how digital media affect politics and how politics affects digital media.
- Critically analyse and evaluate evidence regarding the impact of digital media on democracy.
- Identify connections between evidence from academic research and public policy debates on digital media and democracy.
- Communicate clearly and construct coherent evidence-based arguments about digital media and democracy.
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Reading List
Crawford, K. (2021). The atlas of AI: Power, politics, and the planetary costs of artificial intelligence. Yale University Press.
Nielsen, R. K., & Ganter, S. A. (2022). The power of platforms: Shaping media and society. Oxford University Press.
Persily, N., & Tucker, J. A. (Eds.). (2020). Social media and democracy: The state of the field, prospects for reform. Cambridge University Press.
Vaccari, C., & Valeriani, A. (2021). Outside the bubble: Social media and political participation in Western democracies. Oxford University Press.
Van Aelst, P., Strömbäck, J., Aalberg, T., Esser, F., De Vreese, C., Matthes, J., ... & Stanyer, J. (2017). Political communication in a high-choice media environment: a challenge for democracy?. Annals of the International Communication Association, 41(1), 3-27. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Problem solving; Analytical thinking; Critical thinking; Knowledge integration and application; Handling complexity and ambiguity; Digital literacy; Ethics and social responsibility; Self-awareness and reflection; Independent learning and development; Creativity and inventive thinking; Planning, organising and time management; Assertiveness and Confidence; Flexibility. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Cristian Vaccari
Tel:
Email: cvaccari@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | |
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