L A K E H E A D U N I V E R S I T Y
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
Sociology 2455 FA
Computers and Society
Fall Term 2008
Tuesday 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. RC 0005
Sociology web-page address: http://sociology.lakeheadu.ca

Instructor: Walid Chahal							        Office: UC 0037
Phone: 343-8426                                           			        e-mail: wchahal@lakeheadu.ca							 
Course Focus:

In this course, we will examine the social construction of computer culture, computer user identity, and consumer demand. We will discuss their links to software production and development, as well as to advertising and marketing strategies. We will also analyze the impact of new computer technologies on employment, education (especially children's early education), class, gender and ethnic relations in the context of the organization of work and the global economy. We will draw on case studies from around the world and use a variety of sociological perspectives.  

Required Reading Materials:

There are two required textbooks and one course reading package for this course. They are:

1) Rose, Ellen. 2003. User Error: Resisting Computer Culture. Toronto: Between the 
    Lines.

2) Scott-Dixon, K. 2004. Doing It: Women Working in Information Technology.      
    Toronto: Sumach Press.

3) Reading Package for Sociology 2455--Computers and Society.
  
Course Topics:                                                    Required Readings
    
     Introduction                                                          Rose, Introduction

1. The Mythology of Computer Use                         Rose, chapter 1
     Cyberspace & the New American Dream            CBC Film: ‘Hacking the Future’                                                       

2. The History of Computing                                    Rose, chapter 2 	
    The Origin of the User as a Social Concept
     Sociology & Computer Technology                    Pendakur & Harris (P & H--pp:19-32)          

3. The Culture of Software Production                     Rose, chapter 3
    The Roots of Digital Culture                                Millar, chapter 1
    Current Theorizing about Digital Technology
    & Race, Class, & Gender                                     Millar, Chapter 2

4. Computer Consumer & the User                          Rose, chapter 4
    The Impact of Advertising                                   Film:“The Ad & the Ego”
    Children & Advertising on the Net                      Recommended: Armstrong &      
						          Casement, chapter 8    
5. Computer Users & Technical Knowledge            Rose, chapter 5                  
    Scholarly Analyses of Computer Anxiety,
    Technostress, & Computer Phobia                        Rose, chapter 6 

6. The Youthful User & the Mythology of 
    Computer Use                                                        Rose, chapter 7
    The Use of Computer Technology in our 
     Children's Early Education & Computer Use      Armstrong & Casement, chapter 10     
     Learning, the Natural World & Computer Use    Armstrong & Casement, chapter 11

7.  The Future of Canadian Education	
     & Computer Technology                                     Couture, Jean-Claude, pp:139-166
     The Future User &                                                    	
     Responsible Action                                              Rose, Conclusion                                                           

8.  Employment & the Development                
     of the New Computer Technology                      Rifkin, Chapter 5
     Visions of Technological Utopian                       Rifkin, Chapter 3     
     Women’s Work in the IT                                    Scott-Dixon, Introduction & chapter 1                   
     Employment & the Global Economy                  Menzies, Heather, pp:3-19	  
      		 
9.  Theorizing about Women’s Work Choices
     in IT & Structural Relations of Gender, 
     Class & Race                                                       Scott-Dixon, chapter 2                   
     Great Promises versus Material Realities            Scott-Dixon, chapter 3
     New Work versus Same Old & the Inequity 
     of the Labor Market                                             Scott-Dixon, chapter 4
     Looking Ahead                                                     Scott-Dixon, chapter 5        
                                                                                                		     
10.  The Dawn of the Post-Market Era
        Globalizing the Social Economy                       Rifkin, chapter 18

11.  Perspectives on the Information Society
       The Impact of Globalization 
       on Developing Countries                                    P & H--R. Harindranath, pp:56-64    

12.  Citizenship & Democracy 
        Networks for Social Change: 
        the Anti-NAFTA Challenge                               P & H—S. Huyer, pp:300-309
        Resistance to World Trade Talks                       P & H—M. Lemire, pp:310-321
        Cyber-Activism Across National Borders          P & H—K. O’Neill, pp:322-336
 
Course Requirements:

There are three (3) requirements for this course.

1.	One assignment. Due November 4th................………………….40%

Every student chooses 3 articles on any topic about computers and society from specific social science journals or books, or select internet sites, and sums up and critiques these articles by relying on sociological perspectives, and analyses covered in class and in the reading. You are strongly encouraged to select a topic of specific interest to you.  

The assignment should be no more than 6 typed pages in length and be submitted (along with the articles) no later than November 4th.

The assignment must be formatted according to the ASA (American Sociological Association) Style Guide for referencing and citations. For more information, see the following website:
      http://www.queensu.ca/sociology/files/styleguiderevised%20NOV06.pdf
	
      Make sure you keep a backup copy of the assignment.
            
2.  Final exam (TBA)…………………………….……...……………40%
     The format of this exam consists of both short-answer and short-essay questions, and 
     it may include multiple-choice questions. The exam covers all class work, lecture  
     and reading material to date. It is not the instructor’s aim to reproduce the same  
     material that is covered in the assigned reading. The lecture material and discussions 
     will complement, expand, and shed more light on those issues that are covered in the       
     text and reading kit.

3.  Class participation & critical reflection................………………20%
     
      Class attendance is expected:  In order to do well in this course, you must attend 
      class on a regular basis. There will be substantial in-class discussions and much of the     
      material covered in lectures will not be found in the reading. In order to participate in     
      class discussions, it is important that you do the readings before coming to class. You    
      must come to class ready to contribute to discussion in a thoughtful way, to ask 
      questions, as well as critically reflect on the assigned readings. Students are 
      strongly encouraged not to engage in private conversations during class lectures.                         
 
NOTE: THERE WILL BE A PENALTY FOR ASSIGNMENTS HANDED IN LATE.

Plagiarism:

Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will be dealt with according to the University regulations. For more information, see University Regulations section “IX Academic Dishonesty,” Lakehead University Calendar 08/09: 
http://calendar.lakeheadu.ca/current/contents/regulations/univregsIXacdishon.html

Further, the student will be given additional information concerning course topics, course requirements, evaluation procedures and other relevant material on the first day of class.

Reading Package for Sociology 2455--Computers and Society

Armstrong, Allison & Charles Casement. 1998. Chapters: 10 and 11, pp: 167-199 in The Child and the Machine: Why Computers May Put Our Children's Education at Risk.  Toronto:  Key Porter Books. 

Couture, Jean-Claude. 1997. “Teacher’s Work: Living in the Culture of Insufficiency.” Pp: 139-166 in Globalization and the future of Canadian Education, edited by Marita Moll ed.. Halifax: Fernwood.

Menzies, Heather. 1996. Pp: 3-19 in Whose Brave New World?  The Information Highway & the New Economy. Toronto: Between the Lines.

Millar, Melanie Stewart. 1998. Chapters: 1 & 2, pp: 28- 43; 53-68 in Cracking the Gender Code: Who Rules the Wired World?  Toronto: Second Story Press.

Pendakur, Manjunath and Roma Harris. 2002. Pp:19-32; 56-64; 300- 335 in Citizenship and Participation in the Information Age. Aurora, Ontario: Garamond Press.

Rifkin, Jeremy. 1995.  Chapters: 3, 5, & 18, pp: 42-56; 69-80; 275-293 in The End of Work: The Decline of the Global Labor Force and the Dawn of the Post-Market Era.  New York: Tarcher & Putnam.