The Digital Get Down (WGST 392-02)

How do people get down on the internet and how does the internet get people down? How do digital spaces both shape and get shaped by categories including but not limited to sex, race, class, and nation? Our course will begin by exploring definitions and intersections, such as the “digital divide” and “data feminism”, that are key to understanding how power operates online and across borders. Next, analyzing the #metoo hashtag alongside global iterations of anti-violence protest, the class will delve into the context and significance of online feminist movements. We will discuss the continuing relevance of pre-internet feminist discussions of race, gender, sexuality, and violence while we explore the affordances of digital media for political movements. Students will have the opportunity to pursue their own interests within the broad context of digital media and social justice.