How do people influence the form of data and technology systems? And how, in turn, do data and technology shape our everyday lives, from our ability to move about the world and the categories imposed on us to the very essence of what it means to be human? Drawing on historical and contemporary examples from around the world—from AI and neurotechnology to door closers and passports—this course will begin to unpack these questions. We will develop an analytic toolkit related to themes like power, inequality, and identity with which to analyze sociotechnical systems and their implications. Students will have an opportunity to apply these tools to their own topics of interest, with a focus on theory, policy, and practice.
How do people influence the form of data and technology systems? And how, in turn, do data and technology shape our everyday lives, from our ability to move about the world and the categories imposed on us to the very essence of what it means to be human? Drawing on historical and contemporary examples from around the world—from AI and neurotechnology to door closers and passports—this course will begin to unpack these questions. We will develop an analytic toolkit related to themes like power, inequality, and identity with which to analyze sociotechnical systems and their implications. Students will have an opportunity to apply these tools to their own topics of interest, with a focus on theory, policy, and practice.
