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INFOSYS 212: Information in Society

Spring 2005
Spring 2004
Spring 2003
Spring 1999

Course Description

This semester, this course will be a kind of follow-on the first part of IS204. We will address in more detail some of the topics introduced in 204, and add others. Topics will include: social/cultural approaches to knowledge and knowledge communities, emphasizing the collaborative nature of knowledge; computer-mediated knowledge work, including computer-mediated communication (CMC) and computer supported cooperative work (CSCW); culture and the internet; issues of self and the internet, including the construction of alternative ‘selves’; and the culture of technology design (with attention to the tensions between technologists and social scientists). Other possible topics include: gender and technology; technology and the body; and the digital divide. This class will have a seminar format, with topics determined in part by the interests of the participants. The major product will be a term paper exploring one or more topics in depth.

Recommended for MIMS students, and for graduate students in other departments with an interest in social issues in knowledge work and information technology. Students with specific interests that you would like to see addressed in the class are encouraged to email the instructor.

Prerequisites

IS 203 or consent of instructor. Non-SIMS students require permission of instructor.