This course will introduce students to the social science debates concerning an important emerging form of social order: digital platforms. Bringing together approaches from the sub-fields of science and technology studies, digital sociology,and economic and media sociology, it will provide students with several major analytical frameworks for understanding the emergence and importance of platforms in the context of social order, identity, values, power, communication and institutions. The module is designed to equip students with generalisable theoretical perspectives and with practical experience in researching platforms from a range of different perspectives.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:- identify and analyse key debates concerning platforms in science studies, digital sociology, and media-cultural sociology;
- demonstrate rich contextual understanding of different aspects of digital platforms as they relate to contemporary experience, the life of social groups, forms of value, and knowledge practices;
- develop capacity to design and carry out case study-based and/or participant-based research into a contemporary platform, and document the results of the research in written form; and
- reflect on and discuss their learning in relation to the content of the course.
Indicative Assessment
Class participation 10% (LO 4)Group platform project 20% (1,500 words, LO 3)
Critical essay 70% (4,500 words, LO 1,2)
In response to COVID-19: Please note that Semester 2 Class Summary information (available under the classes tab) is as up to date as possible. Changes to Class Summaries not captured by this publication will be available to enrolled students via Wattle.
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 1x 3 hour seminar and workshop per week
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Preliminary Reading
- Bucher, Taina. 2017. “The Algorithmic Imaginary: Exploring the Ordinary Affects of Facebook Algorithms.” Information, Communication & Society 20 (1):30–44. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2016.1154086.
- Gillespie, Tarleton. 2010. “The Politics of ‘Platforms’.” New Media & Society 12 (3):347–64.
- Hogan, Mél, and Tamara Shepherd. 2015. “Information Ownership and Materiality in an Age of Big Data Surveillance.” Journal of Information Policy 5:6–31.
- Plantin, Jean-Christophe, Carl Lagoze, Paul N Edwards, and Christian Sandvig. 2016. “Infrastructure Studies Meet Platform Studies in the Age of Google and Facebook.” New Media & Society, August, 1461444816661553. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444816661553.
- Skeggs, Beverley, and Simon Yuill. 2016. “Capital Experimentation with Person/a Formation: How Facebook’s Monetization Refigures the Relationship Between Property, Personhood and Protest.” Information, Communication & Society 19 (3):380–96. http://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy.lancs.ac.uk/doi/abs/10.1080/1369118X.2015.1111403.
- Srnicek, Nick. 2016. Platform Capitalism. Cambridge, UK ; Malden, MA: Polity Press.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $3570 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $5460 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
