LFU:online

Graduates are enabled to question the tension between communication, media technologies and democracy. They are able to locate processes triggered by technological advances in terms of media history, to name their current specifics and to identify relevant fields of action.

Providing basic knowledge about theories and models of media dynamics and the complexity of social transformation processes associated with digitisation, medialisation, globalisation and individualisation.

In this course, we will focus on the interdependencies between media-technological and sociocultural dynamics and transformations, especially concerning processes and discourses of digitization. After discussing basic concepts (e.g. media, digitization, culture & society, practices, subject/ivation) we will “close-read” basic texts and work on group projects regarding concrete assemblages and discourses / ideologies of digitization in specific sociocultural spheres. Last not least, we will answer the question of the connection between the 1960ies psychedelic performance-group “The Merry Pranksters” and the Tech-corporations of Silicon Valley… 

Input of lecturer with interactive elements; basic readings and discussion along guiding questions and glossaries; group exercises & hands-on-projects, discussion of concrete examples.

Individual work 1: Elaboration of reading guiding questions on a basic text of choice (20%); Group work: Presentation (presentation form of choice, from video essay to PPP) of small research project "in progress" (40%); Individual work 2: Individual reflection on the group project along given guiding questions (40%).

A reader with basic texts will be provided via OLAT.

Stalder, Felix (2016): Die Kultur der Digitalität. Suhrkamp. 

"Active bachelor's programme"
The minor “Media and Communication” covering 30 ECTS-Credits can be selected by degree students  of  Bachelor’s  programmes  at  the  University  of  Innsbruck,  providing  the  relevant curriculum allows for the option to pass a minor.