Media and film studies

Questioning the Digital

Module code: P5035
Level 6
30 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Workshop, Lecture, Seminar
Assessment modes: Coursework

Digital Humanities uses new digital research methods to study media and communications. You will develop the skills necessary to collect data from the web and social media, visualise that data and analyse it. You will learn how media scholars are using digital methods to analyse issues online such as state internet censorship, the circulation of ‘fake news’, the growth of climate change scepticism, political extremism, geographical differences in attitudes to political rights and so on.

This module will also give you a critical understanding of Digital Humanities – as an approach, a method, and a perspective. You will not only develop the skills you need to design and undertake digital humanities research but also grapple with the questions that arise when dealing with new forms of data collection, visualisation and analysis.

Module learning outcomes

• Systematically understand key developments, issues, and challenges in the field of Digital Humanities.
• Critically evaluate Digital Humanities methods and perspectives, including issues arising around the forms of knowledge produced
• Formulate and accomplish media and communications research projects using Digital Humanities techniques and methods, including data collections, big data analysis and modes of visualisation and interpretation
• Extend and apply knowledge about the ethics of big data and algorithmic research, including data bias and privacy issues
• Systematically appreciate the critical issues and social significance of Digital Humanities research and Digital Humanities methods