Final Syllabus
Virtual Worlds and Social Media
Spring 2017
Copenhagen
3 Credits
Major Disciplines: Communication, Media Studies.
Faculty Member: Remzi Ates Gürsimsek, [email protected]
Program Director: Iben de Neergaard, Vestergade 10 A23, [email protected]
Assistant Program Director: Nya Oxfeldt Jensen, Vestergade 10 A23, [email protected]
Program Assistant: Jenny Han, Vestergade 10 A23, [email protected]
Tuesdays and Fridays, 11.40-13.00, F24-302
Course Description
Social interactions have changed dramatically, thanks to the almost endless
possibilities afforded by the Internet. We live in a fast-paced world of digital
communication where an online ice-bucket challenge can raise more than $100m in a
month to cure a genetic disease, the candidates in a US presidential election are
turning to Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram to announce their campaigns, and more
photographs are being captured on mobile phones in a year than in the entire
analogue era. With the advent of Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat,
Reddit etc., CEOs, politicians, artists, journalists and people all over the world are
recognizing the need for direct and continual dialogue with consumers, audiences,
voters and friends. Virtual worlds and interactive digital environments provide new
participatory spaces for people to work, play, learn and create together. On the one
hand, the rise of social media has challenged the way we all ‘do business’ in the
political, organizational and individual realms. On the other, digital communication
brought new considerations about surveillance, big data, loss of privacy, filter
bubbles and networked individualism. So, how do digital information technologies,
mobile devices and social media platforms that we use every day influence our social
relationships? What opportunities and challenges do social media present to
individuals, companies and political organizations?
In this course, we will explore the world of social media and virtual worlds to
understand the new forms of personal and social connections that they present, and
to critically apprehend the relationship between technology, new media and society.
We will investigate the significance and usability of various new media technologies
by reflecting on theoretical perspectives, and discuss their applications in the
Scandinavian context as well as within a globalized world.
The course will give you a chance to improve your own new media communication
skills, and allow you to critically reflect on the impact social media has on our
interactions at the personal, business and governance levels. You will work in groups
to design and execute an online social movement by using various social media
platforms with the purpose of communicating a message with your target audience.
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Final Syllabus
Faculty
Remzi Ates Gürsimsek
Ph.D. (Sense-making Strategies and User-driven Innovations in Virtual Worlds, Roskilde
University, 2012), M.Sc. (Digital Media and Industrial Design, Istanbul Technical
University, 2007), B.ID. (Industrial Design, Middle East Technical University, 2004).
Visiting researcher at the Human-Sciences and Technologies Advanced Research
Institute, Stanford University (2011) and Eindhoven University of Technology (2006). In
addition to teaching digital communication and performance design studies at the
Department of Communication, Business & Information Technologies (Roskilde
University), Ates has been working as a developer and researcher at the
interdisciplinary Experience Lab, designing immersive virtual environments and digitally
augmented spaces.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, you are expected to be able to
 diagnose and analyze the challenges and usability of virtual worlds and social
media for individuals, politicians and organizations in their efforts to interact
with their contemporaries
 critically respond to these challenges with recommendations for how
individuals, politicians and organizations can strategically maneuver virtual
worlds and social media
 present and assess the analysis and recommendations using theoretical
perspectives and empirical data
Required Readings
Siapera, U. (2012) Understanding New Media, Sage Publications.
Additional required (and recommended) readings are available on Canvas.
Grading Elements
• Attendance and in-class participation – 15 %
• Leading class discussion – 10 %
• Assignment 1. Digital Storytelling – 10%
• Assignment 2. Audience Research_(Y)our Virtual Lives – 15%
• Group semester project and presentation – 25 %
• Final research article – 25%
Participation Includes…
 Attendance in all classes and field studies
 Involvement in class and group discussions
 Involvement in online activities and assignments
 Level of preparation and ability to answer questions asked in class
 Active participation in field studies
Disability and resource statement: Any student who has a need for accommodation
based on the impact of a disability should contact the Office of Academic Support
([email protected]) to coordinate this. In order to receive accommodations, students
Virtual Worlds and Social Media | DIS
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Final Syllabus
should inform the instructor of approved DIS accommodations within the first two
weeks of classes.
Please note:
To be eligible for a passing grade in this class, you must complete all of the assigned
work. The work must be handed in no later than the set deadlines. Failure to
comply with the deadlines will result in a grade deduction.
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
LEADING CLASS DISCUSSION
-in-class group activity / 10% of overall grade
In groups of 2-3, you will lead a theoretically-informed discussion in class by presenting a
case or an article related to the assigned course readings and asking stimulating questions
to your audience. You will not be giving a formal presentation; you will be leading a
discussion. Feel free to be creative in your approach to this assignment, and make sure you
actively engage majority of your classmates. They should critically think about the key
issues in reference to the broader concepts that we discuss in this class.
DIGITAL STORYTELLING
-group presentation + short essay / 10% of grade
This second assignment is for you to experiment with online audio-visual platforms as
visual storytelling tools in a strategic communication perspective. In your project groups,
you will be making online video campaigns to reach target communities with the general
topics of interests in your semester projects. You will present your productions in class,
make a brief audience analysis and write your personal reflections.
AUDIENCE RESEARCH: (Y)OUR DIGITAL LIVES -group presentation + short essay / 15% of grade
The purpose of this assignment is to observe and analyze the mediated interactions of social
media users. You are expected to conduct an investigation in groups to explore the role of
social media in the lives of fellow DIS students. The goal is to understand their habits,
attitudes and expectations about social media during their study-abroad experiences in
Copenhagen (i.e. connections with home, getting to know Copenhagen or travelling in
Europe, communicating / socializing with the DIS community). You will present and discuss
your findings in class, and write a short individual essay.
ONLINE MEDIA PROJECT
-group semester project + presentation / 25% of overall grade
The purpose of the group projects is to design, execute and evaluate a social media
campaign with a specific message/objective that is tailored for a target audience, deployed
by a trans-media strategy, the outcomes of which can be monitored and modified by
empirical feedback. Your group will decide for whom the campaign will be and what
message the campaign will feature. The projects can focus on promoting an
event/organization/venue, creating awareness on a burning social issue, sharing
experiences among fellow DIS community, or initiating a political debate (among others).
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Final Syllabus
FINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
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–paper (6-7 pgs.) / 25% of overall grade
You will individually compose an article (incl. the use of and reference to theory) analyzing
and critically evaluating the above described group project. The paper should address a
professional audience with recommendations for a successful social media strategy on
your chosen field. In the end, you are expected to present your project as a theoreticallyinformed essay on your topic of interest, as you introduce your problem area and target
audience, and critically evaluate your strategies for engaging with them.
COURSE SCHEDULE
VIRTUAL PEOPLE
FRIDAY, January 20
1) WHAT IS SOCIAL ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA?
•
•
Jensen, K.B. (2015). What’s Social About Social Media?, Social Media + Society AprilJune 2015: 1 –2
TED Talk (2012): Connected, but alone? (Sherry Turkle)
TUESDAY, January 24
2) HOW DO SOCIAL MEDIA ALGORITHMS SHAPE OUR PERSONAL CONNECTIONS?
•
•
Van Dijck, J. (2013). ‘Engineering sociality in a culture of connectivity’, in The
culture of connectivity: A critical history of social media, Oxford U. Press, 3-18
How Facebook’s News Feed Works – As Explained by Facebook
FRIDAY, January 27
3) HOW DO SOCIAL NETWORKS ENABLE US TO BUILD VIRTUAL SELVES?
•
•
I Found Out My Secret Internal Tinder Rating and Now I Wish I Hadn't
I Liked Everything I Saw on Facebook for Two Days. Here’s What It Did to Me
NETWORKS AND COMMUNITIES
TUESDAY, January 31
4) WHAT DOES COMMUNITY MEAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA?


Understanding New Media, chapter 10
The new shape of online community: The example of Swedish independent music
fandom
FRIDAY, February 3
5) WHY BUILD GLOBAL COMMUNITIES IN A NETWORKED SOCIETY?


Understanding New Media, chapter 2
What You Can Learn from the Star Wars Community
Virtual Worlds and Social Media | DIS
THEMES
Introduction to the course contents,
core concepts, processes and
learning objectives. What are the
different perspectives and concepts
that can be used to understand the
relationship between technology,
new media and society?
What kindS of new tools and social
practices do new media offer us to
connect, communicate and
participate? What can our use online
networks tell us about our social
connections?
How do social media platforms
enable us to create (often multiple)
‘virtual selves’ in order to present
and maintain our online identities?
How do these alternate identities
influence our social interactions?
How do we socialize and interact
with others in digitally mediated
environments? How can we
understand new forms of
communities that are associated
with new media?
How does social networking
influence communication
campaigns? Does it present new
challenges to community-building?
What are some of the successful
social media campaigns which
effectively engage with their target
audiences?
Final Syllabus
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Core Course Week: February 7-10
VIRTUAL SPACES
TUESDAY, February 14
6) HOW DID MOBILE PHONES TRANSFORM SPACE AND CULTURE?
•
•
Hills, M. (2009) ‘Participatory Culture: Mobility, Interactivity and Identity’, in
Digital Cultures: Understanding New Media, (eds.) Creeber, G. & Martin, R.,
pp.107-121.
This once-bullied teen has a simple solution so no one has to eat alone in the
cafeteria ever again
THEMES
How does your relationship with
mobile devices shape your everyday
interactions? Does it affect
boundaries between public and
i
?
FRIDAY, February 17
7) ASSIGNMENT 1. DIGITAL SORYTELLING PRESENTATIONS & PROJECT IDEAS
TUESDAY, February 21
What does it mean to be (and be
8) HOW DO VIRTUAL AND AUGMENTED REALITIES GENERATE PRESENCE AND together) in a virtual space? How do
IMMERSION IN VIRTUAL SPACES?
virtual/augmented reality
•
•
Schroeder, R. (2006). Being there together and the future of connected presence.
Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 15(4), 438-454
(Video) Mark Zuckerberg’s “Oculus Connect” Virtual Reality Demo
applications influence our senses to
present the experiences of “being
there” and “being there together”?
WEDNESDAY, February 22 (13:00 – 17:00)
FIELD TRIP - TBA
FRIDAY, February 24
9) WHAT CAN ONLINE GAMES TELL US ABOUT DIGITAL SPACES?
•
•
Understanding New Media, chapter 11
Pokémon GO In Museums: Gotta Visit ’Em All
How do people socialize by playing
games together? What kinds of
relationships do we establish by
playing, competing, learning and
creating together in virtual spaces?
Long Study Tour/Travel Break: October 11-14
SPREADABLE / VIRAL MEDIA
TUESDAY, March 7
10) HOW DOES DIGITAL CONTENT SPREAD ON SOCIAL NETWORKS?
•
•
Green, J. and Jenkins, H. (2011). Spreadable media: How audiences create value and
meaning in a networked economy, in The Handbook of Media Audiences, Blackwell
Publishing Ltd, 109-127
Blichfeldt, B.S. an Smed, K.M. (2015). ‘Do it to Denmark’: A case study on viral
Virtual Worlds and Social Media | DIS
What is social media made of? How
does digital content spread and
change through online platforms?
Who generates value and meaning on
social networks?
Final Syllabus
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processes in marketing messages, Journal of Vacation Marketing, Vol. 21(3) 289–
301
FRIDAY, March 10
11) ASSIGNMENT 2: ([Y]OUR DIGITAL LIVES) PRESENTATIONS
•
•
Group presentations and discussions of findings from DIS surveys
Discussion of potential strategic uses of your empirical findings to design
communication campaigns for your target audience
NEW MEDIA POLITICS AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
TUESDAY, March 14
12) IS “NEW MEDIA POLITICS” POLITICS AS USUAL?
•
•
Understanding New Media, chapter 5
Recommended Reading: Nilsson, B. and Carlsson, E. (2014). Swedish politicians and
new media: Democracy, identity and populism in a digital discourse, New Media &
Society 2014, Vol. 16(4) 655 –671
THEMES
What new opportunities do social
media offer to politicians to
communicate with citizens, and
citizens to communicate with each
other? How do these opportunities
change our participation in political
processes, and organization of
political campaigns?
FRIDAY, March 17
13) ARE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS MORE EFFECTIVE IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA?
•
•
Loader, B. (2008). ‘Social movements and new media’. Sociology Compass, 2(6),
1920-1933)
Recommended Reading: Galis, V. and Neumayer, C. (2016). Laying Claim to Social
Media by Activists: A Cyber-Material Détournement, Social Media + Society JulySeptember 2016: 1 –14
Travel Break: March 21-24
TUESDAY, March 28
14) HOW DO SOCIAL MEDIA FACILITATE A PARTICIPATORY CULTURE?
•
•
Bennett, W. L. (2012). ‘The personalization of politics: Political identity, social media,
and changing patterns of participation’. The ANNALS of the American Academy of
Political and Social Science, 644(1), 20-39.
Recommended Reading: Gustafsson, N. (2012). The subtle nature of Facebook
politics: Swedish social network site users and political participation, New Media &
Society 14(7) 1111 –1127.
Do digital communication
technologies and social media
platforms enable new forms of
political participation? How effective
are virtual social movements, such as
online petitions, in solving the world’s
problems?
FRIDAY, March 31
15) PROJECT BRAINSTORMING & REFLECTION SESSION
• Brainstorm and generate ideas for final projects, listen to each other’s’ ideas and try
to improve them
CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES: PRIVACY, ECHO-CHAMBERS, EXPLOITATION
TUESDAY, April 4
16) IS PRIVACY EVEN POSSIBLE TODAY?
•
Fuchs, C. (2014). ‘Facebook: A Surveillance Threat to Privacy?’ in Social Media:
Virtual Worlds and Social Media | DIS
THEMES
Are your personal communications
being monitored? For which
reasons? By whom? Is surveillance a
natural consequence of the need for
security? How about your privacy?
Final Syllabus
•
A Critical Introduction, SAGE, London, pp. 153-174.
The return of mass online surveillance
FRIDAY, April 7
17) HOW FACTUAL ARE THE FACTS WE SPREAD ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
•
•
Garrett, R.K. (2009). Echo chambers online?: Politically motivated selective exposure
among Internet news users, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, vol. 14
See how red tweeters and blue tweeters ignore each other on Ferguson
TUESDAY. April 11
18) USER-GENERATED CONTENT: PARTICIPATION OR EXPLOITATION OF FREE LABOR?
•
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Andrejevic, M. (2010). ‘Social network exploitation’, in A networked self: Identity,
community, and culture on social network sites, Papacharissi, Z. (ed.), pp. 82-101
Does the information we gather
depend on where/how/to whom we
connect on social networks? What
are the factors that determine the
reliability of online news? Why is
fact-checking important in the posttruth era?
What motivates social media users to
generate and freely publish their
images, videos and thoughts as
digital content? Who benefits from
this user-generated content?
Travel Break: Friday, April 14
DIGITAL ECONOMY
TUESDAY, April 18
19) SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE NETWORKED ECONOMY
•
Wirtz, B. W., Schilke, O., and Ullrich, S. (2010) “Strategic Development of
Business Models - Implications of the Web 2.0 for Creating Value on the
Internet”, Long Range Planning, 43: 272-290
FRIDAY, April 21
20) HOW TO SURVIVE AND COMPETE IN THE DIGITAL BUSINESS WORLD?
•
•
Revolution in Progress: The Networked Economy
A Netflix Story: The Human Approach to Social Media Marketing
TUESDAY, April 25
21) PROJECT WORK
•
Groups work in class
WEDNESDAY, April 26 (8:30 – 12:30)
FIELD TRIP – TBA
FINAL PRESENTATIONS AND CLOSING
FRIDAY, April 28
22) PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
TUESDAY, May 2
23) SEMESTER REVIEW & CLOSING:
THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL MEDIA?
Virtual Worlds and Social Media | DIS
THEMES
How can/should new business
models be developed by companies
to reach their target audiences, build
virtual brand communities and
engage in a productive dialogue with
them to improve their products or
services?
Final Syllabus
Monday, May 8
END-OF-THE-YEAR COMMUNICATION SHOWCASE EVENT
(Mandatory Departmental Event, 16:30-18:30, Vestergade 23)
------------------ FINAL PAPER DUE TUESDAY, MAY 9 -----------
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