We are increasingly dependent on digital technologies and media to participate, learn, and work in modern society. Digital media is widely used by young people and is now a central part of modern childhood and adolescence, and for many, social media and gaming have become important aspect of social practices and identify building. These developments place new demands on educators and professionals working with children and adolescents to support the development of critical media literacy and (digital) Bildung, both throughout compulsory education, and as part of the human development.

This course explores key questions and themes related to how digital media is embedded in young people’s socialization and identity formation, the role of critical media literacy in schools and leisure contexts, and the ethical challenges digital media presents for education and social life. It introduces theoretical perspectives on the relationships between digital media, adolescence, identity, and Bildung, drawing from the social sciences and humanities.

Students will apply these perspectives to discussions about how the relationship between humans and digital technologies shapes the ways we interact, learn, and understand ourselves and society. Additional topics include the potential of digital media to promote inclusion or contribute to marginalization, problematic media use, cyberbullying and online harassment, digital games and gaming culture, and the increasingly fluid and digitized knowledge practices of private life, education, and work in contemporary society.