Information, Technology, and Society in Asia 225

This is a course on visual culture in the 20th and 21st century, with a particular focus on the interplay between media technology, culture and society. This course will also be multidisciplinary in nature, as we reflect on our discursive assumptions in the historical, sociological, anthropological, philosophical disciplines among others. While the readings may primarily cover phenomenon in the United States, participants will be strongly encouraged to think of the specificity of the impact of globalization on media and society in various regions of the world including Japan.

The course objectives are the following:
-Gain a better understanding of the relationships between society, media, people, institutions and how they function as agents of maintaining the status quo or for fostering change
-Learn about the transformative faculties and social implications of quotidian applications of technology
-Gain deeper understanding of the academic disciplines

Topics will include (but are not limited to):
-representation of race, ethnicity and gender and other minorities
-regional, transnational and international ecosystems of information technology
-artificial intelligence and algorithmic bias
-technological advancement and implementation in everyday life and the powers at play