IS 308: Race, Gender, and Information Technology

Course Description

In this course we will critically examine the ways in which information and communication technologies (ICTs) are shaped by – and help to shape – social relations of race and gender; and we will extend our review to other categories of identity and exclusion as well, such as age, ability, geography and ethnicity. We will also explore the various benefits and burdens of the information society and how these are socially distributed, and conduct case-studies of policies, practices, and programs designed to enhance opportunities and/or mitigate disadvantages through the creative or disruptive use of ICTs. Directed and supervised investigation of selected topics in information studies that may include among others computers and culture; information policy; community information systems; production, retrieval and evaluation of scientific or social science knowledge; computer-mediated communication; and computer-supported cooperative work. Prerequisite: IS 202 Highly recommended. Sophomore standing.