Digital cultures

Digital media are fundamentally rescripting the relationship between cultural institutions and their users. Notions of producer and consumer, authorship and authenticity are being re-evaluated and explored in ways that are creative, experimental and infinite. This not only opens up new avenues of opportunity for audience development, but simultaneously calls into question the many practices of cultural consumption.

This module will be an exploration of the claims being made for so-called 'new' media in culture. Are they representative of a shift toward more democratic and participatory engagement? What happens to the when and where of this engagement? How is policy changing in order to reflect this paradigm shift? What are the implications for cultural managers? These questions will be explored using practical examples.

Module aims

The aim of this module is to enable learners to:

• gain an understanding of the context within which 'new' technologies have become so prevalent within society; who or what is driving their use and development?
• understand the ways in which digital technologies work, and how their increasing use impacts on our cultural life
• critically examine the ways in which cultural institutions are investing in new media both internally (e.g. as part of a museum exhibit or theatrical performance) and externally (e.g. as marketing tool, information resource or virtual archive)
• question their assumptions about authority, the authentic, cultural heritage and patterns of distribution
• engage with a variety of examples of practice in ways which are critical and creative.

Indicative content

• The history of technology as culture
• The global information infrastructure
• The politics of cultural authorship
• Technocultural policy
• Cultures of resistance
• Participatory cultural practices
• Social media
• Digital art
• The possibilities of convergence
  

Learning outcomes

As a result of taking this module students will:

• recognise the nuances of different technologies utilised across the cultural sector
• understand the extent to which participation in culture is enabled and encouraged through access to digital media (and the implications for those who do not have access)
• critically engage with the implications of new media for the future of cultural consumption
• reflect on their own understanding of and engagement with online media
• appreciate the ways in which culture is changing and the implications of this across society (both locally and globally)
• engage with the range of experiences and viewpoints of others in the class
• question the bases of authority within our society(ies)
• analyse and critique a variety of cultural forms and outputs
• communicate ideas and experience effectively
• evaluate and justify the use of digital technologies to fulfil a range of functions
• explore the ways in which new technologies can be used to deliver on policy objectives
• creatively explore how, where and when engagement with culture can occur, and the ways in which digital media can help develop audiences
• be able to use the internet as a research tool, and as means of engaging with others.
• be able to critically analyse examples of digital cultural practice
• work both independently and as part of a group in weekly sessions.
  

Learning and teaching methods

Lectures and seminars, visits, reading and research (including online)

Preliminary reading list

• Creeber, Glen and Martin, Royston, 2008, Digital Culture: Understanding New Media. OUP.
• Lister, Martin, 2008, New Media: A Critical Introduction. Routledge.
• Manovich, Lev, 2002, The Language of New Media. MIT Press.
• Assessment
  

Assessment

3,000 word essay to include critique of a cultural institution's digital output