The Digitalization of Politics (DIG502)
A rapid process of digitalisation is changing politics. We spend our lives online – socially, economically, and politically – continuously producing data on our attitudes and behaviour. This new digital space and information afford power to digital media companies, to authoritarian governments and other non-democratic actors that benefit from surveillance or control access to and spread of information. But digital data and data science can also be used for democratic purposes, opening up political processes and making better policy decisions. In this course we will study the digitalisation of politics, asking how the use of data and digital methods changes politics. We will cover digitalisation in a variety of contexts, ranging from public administration and public policies to electoral politics, from local and domestic to international politics.
Course description for study year 2023-2024
Course code
DIG502
Version
1
Credits (ECTS)
10
Semester tution start
Spring
Number of semesters
1
Exam semester
Spring
Language of instruction
English
Content
Learning outcome
It is expected that the students after completing the course will have the following knowledge, skills, and general competencies.
Knowledge
After course completion, the student has:
- In-depth knowledge about how the use of data and digital technologies transform politics.
- Extensive knowledge on how policies and regulations can shape digitalisation processes and their political outcomes.
Skills
After course completion, the student can:
- Critically reflect on the promises and pitfalls that accompany digital technologies in politics.
- Identify how digitalisation processes shift political power between actors and institutions in society.
- Apply theoretical perspectives and relevant research in both general and concrete, case-based discussions of the digitalisation of politics.
General competencies
After course completion, the student can:
- Navigate relevant research literatures and link theory to practice.
- Participate actively and constructively in professional discussions, in both larger meetings and smaller groups.
- Make the necessary preparations in order for professional discussions to be informative and useful to inquiries or decision-making processes.
Required prerequisite knowledge
Exam
| Form of assessment | Weight | Duration | Marks | Aid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral exam | 1/1 | 1 Hours | Letter grades | All |
The exam requirements must be approved to qualify for the final exam in the course.
Coursework requirements
All students must prepare an introduction to one of the discussion seminars. The introduction should briefly summarise the curriculum for the week and sketch topics for the discussion. This should include a short case description, of a hypothetical or actual digital technology or digitalisation process, that we can discuss using the theoretical perspectives from the curriculum. All students must participate actively in discussion seminars.
Students must be present at a minimum of 75 percent of the weekly seminars. Students who do not fulfil the presence requirement must pass an assignment given by the course coordinators in order to qualify for the final exam.