67-321 Social Informatics

6 units, Carnegie Mellon University

Social informatics refers to an interdisciplinary study of the design, use, and effects of information and communication technologies ICTs. Rather than evaluate the social impact of these technologies, social informatics focuses on how cultural and institutional contexts shape the character of technology. Conversely, social informatics is also concerned with how technology influences culture, affects power relations and restructures social and organizational networks. In this seminar, we will use critical discussion and debate to explore the effects of different types of information systems in diverse communities and contexts from mobile devices to Twitter, from professional to personal life, from emergent nations to your hometown. Students will go beyond the technical aspects of computing and build an understanding of the political, economic, and social considerations that underlie technological development and ethical responsibilities.

Prerequisites: none listed

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