Digital technologies and media are becoming increasingly integrated into the ways in which people participate, learn, work, communicate, and engage in society. For many, digital media are an integral part of everyday life, and social media, games, and other digital platforms have become important arenas for social interaction, identity formation, knowledge practice, and cultural participation. This development places new demands on the education sector and society to support the development of critical media literacy and (digital) Bildung throughout the life course and as part of human development.

This course addresses key questions and topics related to how digital media are integrated into socialization, identity formation, and everyday life; the role that critical media literacy plays in educational and informal contexts; and the ethical challenges that digital media pose for individuals and society. The course provides an introduction to theoretical perspectives on the connections between digital media, identity, social and cultural processes, and Bildung, drawing on the social sciences and the humanities.

We will apply these perspectives in discussions of how the relationship between people and digital technology shapes the way we interact, learn, participate, build knowledge, and understand ourselves and society.