SOC 233 - Technology & Society

In this course, we will discuss and learn about the interplay between technology and society. While technology often seems esoteric or complex, it plays an important role in shaping our everyday experiences, as well as our societies as whole. Further, there is nothing futuristic about the impact of technology on social patterns: as we’ll discuss, many technological processes and artifacts reproduce existing social inequality. Through a critical lens, this course explores the idea that technology is not only a product of human ingenuity, but also a mirror reflecting our collective biases, values, and beliefs. By examining the hidden labor and the often invisible hands that craft our digital world, we deconstruct the seamless facade that technology presents to the user. Overall, this course seeks to empower users and makers of technology to see how it shapes and is shaped by our social world. Course codes: ABR. Cross listed with TAS*233.

Prerequisites & Notes
Course Code: ABR. Cross-listed with TAS*233. Term cycle: spring. Yearly cycle: all years.

Credits: 3