Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL2119: Transformations of Social and Political Realities through Smartphones

This module descriptor refers to the 2022/3 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics.

Part 1 (weeks 2-6)

In part 1, we will look at central concepts for engaging with how smartphones transform our lives and societies, such democracy, privacy, gender, discrimination, and addiction.

Part 2 (weeks 7-11)

In part 2, you will apply the theories and concept studied in part 1 to empirical case studies and prepare a part of a class as a member of a team. These might relate to any of the following (or other) topics: how social media transform politics, the role of social media for political activism, how populism thrives on social media, how social media increase polarisation, surveillance and privacy, social inequality through smartphones, change of gender norms, dating and relationships through smartphones, self-esteem, addictive behaviour. The precise list of topics will depend on students’ choices as to which topics they would like to address in their case study.

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
221280

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled learning and teaching activities2211 x 2 hours per week
Guided independent studies73Reading and writing the essay
Guided independent study15Preparing the podcast
Guided independent study20Preparing a class
Guided independent study2010 x 2 hours of weekly readings

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).