Description: This assignment uses module themes and course readings as a way to critically analyze and discuss the internet awareness campaign #MeToo, and its socio-cultural implications.
Length: Minimum: 1500 words Maximum: 1800 words
Purpose: The purpose of the assignment is to bridge course concepts, module themes, research literature, and an important current event taking place on the internet at this time.
You will use the #MeToo campaign to show your ability to asses current events that bridge physical and digital worlds, and critically analyze them in an academic manner (versus forming opinions without facts). This assignment reveals the complexities of the digital world, and our roles within it – it is not about whether you agree or disagree with this awareness campaign, we are simply analyzing the viral spreading of a hashtag, and trying to understand and articulate the socio-cultural implications of this online event in different ways.
Submission: Upload your assignment via Sakai. Go to “Assignments”, click on Assignment 2, and click on ‘Add Attachments’. You will upload your assignment as a single file.
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Instructions for Assignment #2
Background
Do some research about the #MeToo campaign to understand its origin and purpose – plus the commentary and discussions surrounding it.
Please note that this campaign deals with issues of sexual assault and harassment. If the public posts (Tweets, Instagram etc) are sensitive for you, then just read the Wikipedia entry and Know Your Meme.
Looking at the course syllabus, and the material we are covering this term, consider how aspects of the #MeToo campaign can be examined through and connected to the module themes and course readings.
You’ll need to review the required readings in these modules, and understand the key points and issues that were highlighted in the readings and lecture notes.
You will then choose three module themes from this list, which will act as the critical lens that you will use to analyze the #MeToo campaign. For example, what does this campaign show us about the role of networks and networking in going viral? What can this campaign teach us about online community, and the power of strangers bonding together? What can we say about privacy and this campaign, and the revealing (and outing) of personal and intimate details? What does the Digital Divide research remind us to pay attention to here – can everyone access and participate in this campaign? What kinds of race and class issues surface in this digital campaign? In what ways does this campaign show us that in a participatory culture, not everyone’s contributions are welcome or validated? There are many different ways that you can analyze the #MeToo campaign via the course themes and material. These are just some suggestions. Ask yourself: What stands out for me? What do I find interesting? What do I find troubling?
Once you have your three themes selected, consider if there is an overarching theme, statement, or argument you can make from your analysis and support. What threads these three analyses of the campaign together? You also want to think about why your analysis is significant or important to discuss. What’s the ‘take away’?
Structure of Assignment
Introduction: 2 paragraphs
Briefly describe the #MeToo campaign (don’t forget to cite your info); outline what will be discussed; note any overarching theme or argument; note why the analysis is significant;
Body: 6-9 paragraphs
Each theme discussion must include at least two of the module’s required readings in support of your analysis (that’s six in total).
Theme 1: 2-3 paragraphs (includes at least two required module readings)
Theme 2: 2-3 paragraphs (includes at least two required module readings)
Theme 3: 2-3 paragraphs (includes at least two required module readings)
Remember to thread your analysis together -the overarching theme should be incorporated throughout these paragraphs.
Conclusion: 1 paragraph
In a few sentences, briefly reiterate the main arguments; do something with the analysis: a call to action, food for thought, or a contextualization of the argument in a larger context. Where do we go from here?
Important Notes:
Required Readings:
Clarke, R. (2016). Introduction to Dataveillance and Information Privacy, and Definitions of Terms. Website: http://bit.ly/1DL63J7
Lyon, D. (2008). “Surveillance Society”. Queen’s University, Canada Talk for Festival del Diritto, Piacenza, Italia: September 28 2008. http://bit.ly/15sO1dE
Marwick, A.E. & d. boyd. (2014). Networked privacy: How teenagers negotiate context in social media. New Media & Society, Vol 16(7): 1051-1067. *Resources Tab (original URL no longer works).
van Dijck, J. (2014). “Datafication, dataism and dataveillance: Big Data between scientific paradigm and ideology.” Surveillance & Society 12(2): 197-208. https://bit.ly/2JgMtiM
Mitrou, L., Kandias, M., Stavrou, V. & D. Gritzalis. (2014 ). “Social media profiling: A Panopticon or Omniopticon tool?” Surveillance & Society Conference, Barcelona, Spain. https://bit.ly/2HURnCw
The purpose of Assignment Two is to bridge course concepts, module themes, research literature, and an important current event taking place on the internet at this time. This assignment uses module themes and course readings as a way to critically analyze and discuss the internet awareness campaign #MeToo, and its socio-cultural implications. You will use the #MeToo campaign to show your ability to asses current events that bridge physical and digital worlds, and critically analyze them in an academic manner (versus forming opinions without facts). This assignment reveals the complexities of the digital world, and our roles within it. Additional details will be provided in the “Assignments” tab, under “A2” after A1 has closed.