COM 3540 New Media and Digital Culture

This course explores the way in which new media and digital culture have influenced the ways in which we communicate, learn and experience. Clay Shirky has written, about this unprecedented change, "[W] e are living in the middle of the largest increase in expressive capability in the history of the human race. More people can communicate more things to more people than has ever been possible in the past' and any radical change in our ability to communicate with one another changes society". This course begins by tracing the inception of new media historically. We will then look at the socio-cultural impact of this digitized culture. In particular, we examine the role digital media plays in identity formation, social relations, and political discourse. Furthermore, we examine how digitalized communication means have perhaps forever changed the ways groups participate, and interact. Students will be encouraged to be active participants in this course, thinking critically about the digital tools in question and their effect on the way we live our lives.