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Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title Social Media, Journalism & Democracy
Module Code CM563 (ITS) / MCO1066 (Banner)
Faculty Humanities & Social Sciences School Communications
Module Co-ordinatorAlessio Cornia
Module TeachersEileen Culloty, Jane Suiter
NFQ level 9 Credit Rating 5
Pre-requisite Not Available
Co-requisite Not Available
Compatibles Not Available
Incompatibles Not Available
None
Description

The module examines the development and direction of social media, its impact on political, economic and social life and the implications for journalism and civic engagement.

Learning Outcomes

1. recognise the impact and influence of social media on political, economic and social life;
2. demonstrate how social media affects the behaviours by citizens and governments in different parts of the world;
3. critique the impact of social media on journalism practice;
4. assess the role of social media in citizen agitation and democratic transition
5. describe the impact of new business models on the media and on journalism



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Lecture22Lecturer
Seminars11Seminars
Assignment Completion92Assignment
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Outline
Although a recent phenomenon, social media has opened up new opportunities for journalism while also challenging the traditional understanding of public participation and potentially empowering audiences and civil society organisations by offering new platforms for free expression and social activism. This module explores the meaning of this digital public sphere, examines its impact on media and politics and critically evaluates the transformative claims for platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The module examines the theoretical and practical contexts within which social media such as Twitter, Facebook, texting and blogs exist and relate the skills of social media to trends in the political, communications and media sectors.

Topics
- Social Media and Democracy - Digital Journalism and Economy of New Media - Wikileaks and the right to know - Social media and political communication - Online activism and revolution - Citizen journalism; - Social media and censorship - E-government - The Business Model for Social Media

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment100% Examination Weight0%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
AssignmentIndividual case study20%Week 8
ProjectGroup Project30%Week 12
AssignmentEssay50%Sem 1 End
Indicative Reading List

  • Dijck, J. van, Poell, T., & Waal, M. de. (eds.): 2018, The platform society, Introduction, ch. 1, 2, 3, 7, Oxford University Press, New York,
  • Burgess, J., Marwick, A., & Poell, T. (eds.): 2018, The SAGE handbook of social media, SAGE, Thousand Oaks, CA,
  • Sunstein, C: 2017, #Republic: Divided Democracy in the Age of Social Media, Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford,
  • Bucher, T.: 2018, If… Then: Algorithmic Power and Politics, Oxford University Press, New York,
Other Resources

None
This module has been assigned the code: CM563

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