SV-423 Teknologi og kjønn

Teaching language

Norwegian

Course contents

The course focuses on the relation between gender, power, the use of technology in everyday life and social development. We deal with questions like: Why is a gender perspective on technology important? What is the impact of technology on our day-to-day life? How are we socialized into using technology, and how does this usage influence social institutions, like schools? Starting with feminist theory, anthropological texts on gender, and texts about power, the course raises questions about the degree to which technology can prepare for or limit the participation of various groups in education, politics, democratic processes, public discourse, or other forms of social involvement. We are also interested in how we talk about gender and technology, and what kind of gender-related consequences we see in interaction and everyday life when technology becomes important. Other elements of social differentiation like race, class and age, are seen as interwoven with gender. The course, therefore, adopts an extended concept of equality, which includes minority groups.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the students shall

Knowledge

• Understand how technology is related to gender

• Have insight into the main features of the research field of technology and gender

• Have knowledge about various terms, theories and perspectives of gender related technology

Skills

• Be able to reflect critically on the gender related consequences of technology

• Be able to apply terms and critically analyse concrete examples of gender differences in the use of technology

General competences

• Be able to explain, orally and in writing, the value of a gender perspective on technological development in particular and on society in general

• Have competence in web-based interaction and generation of knowledge

Examination requirements

The student must have participated in the compulsory physical gathering (3-4 days) during the semester.

One written empirical assignment must be submitted and approved. For details, see Canvas.

Teaching methods

The course is web-based with a 3-4 day compulsory physical gathering when the semester starts. It is founded on the use of a module-based study-guide. Through four different modules, the students are given specific tasks to be solved and responded to. The modules build upon one another and start with a primary approach to feminist and gender theories that shed light on how the perception of power, language and culture form the basis for the presentation and understanding of gender in text and conversation. This is developed in the succeeding modules, which deal with the main question. The workload is estimated at 270 hours.

Evaluation

The person responsible for the course decides, in cooperation with student representative, the form of student evaluation and whether the course is to have a midway or end of course evaluation in accordance with the quality system for education, chapter 4.1.

Assessment methods and criteria

• One individual assignment (can be submitted as a blog, a podcast or written text) counts 40%

• One final individual written assignment, about 3500 words, counts 60%

Further information in Canvas.

Graded assessment.