Politics Online
| Module title | Politics Online |
|---|---|
| Module code | POL3320 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Lorien Jasny (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 30 |
|---|
Module description
This module has been designed to explore how online tools have affected modern political engagement. The motivating question is: has the internet or social media changed political participation or not? What is different about politics conducted online from offline? To do this, we focus on the lenses of participation, governance, and revolt. We will explore who participates in politics and how? How do the mechanics of online government affect the governed? And finally revolt – has social media changed the nature of political protest? While we will start exploring these questions in the UK, we will examine international examples as well.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module will strengthen your critical thinking and analysis skills by examining how the internet and social media has – or has not – changed politics around the world. We will try and answer this question by exploring multiple theoretical approaches. By the end of the course, you will be able to articulate similarities and differences of these competing approaches. There is a strong emphasis on being able to synthesize readings – distil them down to their core elements – and compare these across different scholars. The module also has a strong comparativist element and will look at online political engagement across a variety of cultures and political institutions.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Evaluate quantitative evidence of how online tools have and have not changed political behaviour
- 2. Critically assess theories of political engagement in online spaces
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Synthesize readings to compare and contrast academic work
- 4. Apply competing social science theories to novel questions
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Demonstrate critical thinking skills, particularly as they relate to evaluating empirical (quantitative) evidence;
- 6. Work independently, within a limited time frame, to complete a specified task.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- How online access and the digital divide affects political inequalities
- How political discussions online differ from those offline
- How political engagement online differs from engagement offline
- Whether online tools have changed how political protest works
- How (mis)information spreads online and how this is different from offline (mis)information
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 22 | 11 x 2-hour seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 50 | Weekly readings, preparing for seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 78 | Working on assessments: synthesizing the readings, finding a topic for presentation and writing the presentation, essay preparation and writing |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Reading synthesis | 200 words | 1-6 | Written |
| 1 Essay plan | 400 words | 1-6 | Written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 x Reading syntheses | 30 | 200 words each (total 1000 words) | 1-6 | Written |
| Essay | 60 | 1500 words | 1-6 | Written |
| Presentation | 10 | 5 minutes (500 words) | 1-6 | Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 x Reading syntheses (200 words each) | 5 x Reading syntheses (200 words each) | 1-6 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Essay (1500 words) | Essay (1500 words) | 1-6 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Recorded presentation (5 minutes) | Recorded presentation (5 minutes) | 1-6 | Referral/Deferral period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Bjola, Corneliu, and Ilan Manor, eds. The Oxford Handbook of Digital Diplomacy. Oxford University Press, 2024.
- Van Dijk, Jan. The digital divide. John Wiley & Sons, 2020.
- Nabi, Robin L., and Jessica Gall Myrick, eds. Emotions in the digital world: Exploring affective experience and expression in online interactions. Oxford University Press, 2023.
- Gainous, Jason, et al. Directed Digital Dissidence in Autocracies: How China Wins Online. 2023.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 13/02/2025 |
| Last revision date | 24/02/2025 |
