Digital Media and Society

The rise of digital media has been widely regarded as
transforming the nature of our social experience in the
twenty-first century. The speed with which new forms of
connectivity and communication are being incorporated into our
everyday lives often gives us little time to stop and consider the
social implications of those practices. Nonetheless, it is
critically important that we do so, and this sociological
introduction to the field of digital technologies is intended to
enable a deeper understanding of their prominent role in everyday
life.

The fundamental theoretical and ethical debates on the sociology
of the digital media are presented in accessible summaries, ranging
from economy and technology to criminology and sexuality. Key
theoretical paradigms are explored through a broad range of
contemporary social phenomena - from social networking and
virtual lives to the rise of cybercrime and identity theft, from
the utopian ideals of virtual democracy to the Orwellian nightmare
of the surveillance society, from the free software movement to the
implications of online shopping.
As an entry-level pathway for students in sociology, media,
communications and cultural studies, the aim of this work is to
situate the rise of digital media within the context of a complex
and rapidly changing world.

Auteur
Adrian Athique is senior lecturer at the University of Waikato, New Zealand.

Résumé

The rise of digital media has been widely regarded as transforming the nature of our social experience in the twenty-first century. The speed with which new forms of connectivity and communication are being incorporated into our everyday lives often gives us little time to stop and consider the social implications of those practices. Nonetheless, it is critically important that we do so, and this sociological introduction to the field of digital technologies is intended to enable a deeper understanding of their prominent role in everyday life.

The fundamental theoretical and ethical debates on the sociology of the digital media are presented in accessible summaries, ranging from economy and technology to criminology and sexuality. Key theoretical paradigms are explored through a broad range of contemporary social phenomena from social networking and virtual lives to the rise of cybercrime and identity theft, from the utopian ideals of virtual democracy to the Orwellian nightmare of the surveillance society, from the free software movement to the implications of online shopping. As an entry-level pathway for students in sociology, media, communications and cultural studies, the aim of this work is to situate the rise of digital media within the context of a complex and rapidly changing world.

Contenu

Detailed table of contents

List of Figures

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Part I: Digital Histories

Chapter 1: Building a Digital Society

Chapter 2: The Socio-Technical Interface

Chapter 3: Typing the User

Chapter 4: Audience As Community

Part II: Digital Individuals

Chapter 5: Pleasing Bodies

Chapter 6: Reality Checks

Chapter 7: My Personal Public

Chapter 8: Going Mobile

Part III: Digital Economies

Chapter 9: The Road To Serverdom

Chapter 10: Digital Property

Chapter 11: Consuming Power

Chapter 12: Information At Work

Part IV: Digital Authorities

Chapter 13: Virtual Democracy

Chapter 14: Under Scrutiny

Chapter 15: Managing Risk

Chapter 16: Living in a Cloud

Postscript

Bibliography