SOCIOLOGY
Bachelor	TR-NQF-HE: Level 6	QF-EHEA: First Cycle	EQF-LLL: Level 6

Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Code	Course Name	Semester	Theoretical	Practical	Credit	ECTS
SOC4092	Issues in the information society	Spring	3	0	3	5

This catalog is for information purposes. Course status is determined by the relevant department at the beginning of semester.

Basic information

Language of instruction:	English
Type of course:	Departmental Elective
Course Level:	Bachelor’s Degree (First Cycle)
Mode of Delivery:	Face to face
Course Coordinator :	Assoc. Prof. ULAŞ SUNATA ÖZDEMİR
Course Lecturer(s):	Dr. Öğr. Üyesi AYŞEGÜL AKDEMİR Assoc. Prof. ULAŞ SUNATA ÖZDEMİR
Recommended Optional Program Components:	"."
Course Objectives:	The course has two major objectives: to describe the social, political, and cultural dimensions of information technology and what has come to be known as the “information society” and to investigate how the information penetration changes our life, how the society reacts, what are the technical, moral, ethical, and legal challenges we are facing right now.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;
Students that succeed in this course will be able to:
1)Demonstrate the knowledge of the history of information and historical events that have shaped the development of mobile telecommunications.
2)Evaluate the social, political, and cultural dimensions of information technology.
3)Analyse and compare theories and issues surrounding the notion of the information society, from early formulations in the 1970s with the advent of computerization, to current debates and issues.
4)Describe and identify various ethical and public policy dimensions of the information society, including work and labour.
5)Describe and discuss issues surveillance and privacy, related to access and the digital divide, democratic uses, and gender issues.
6)Demonstrate critical thinking on the social, cultural and economic dimensions of information technology.
7) Assess technology in relationship to a variety of social issues such as the changing nature of: work, individual identity formation, social roles, democracy, privacy, and community.
8) Write a research proposal and design research related to information society.

Course Content

It has three major sections. First it covers important historical events that have shaped the development of mobile telecommunications. Secondly, it introduces theories and issues surrounding the notion of the information society, from early formulations in the 1970s with the advent of computerization, to current debates and issues about the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). Thirdly, it focuses on various ethical and public policy dimensions of the information society, including work and labour, surveillance and privacy, access and the digital divide, democratic uses, and gender issues.

Weekly Detailed Course Contents

Week	Subject	Related Preparation
1)	Definitions: The New Technologies, Information Society, Globalisation	Lecture Notes and Allison Cavanagh. (2007). Sociology in the Age of the Internet. Open University Press. ISBN: 9780335217250. Section 1
2)	History and Structure of Information	Text book: Webster, Chapters 1-3
3)	From Post-Industrial Society to Network Society The Rise of Network Society	Allison Cavanagh. (2007). Sociology in the Age of the Internet. Open University Press. ISBN: 9780335217250. Section 1.
4)	Post-Industrial Society Homework submission I	Webster, Chapter 7-9
5)	The Network Society	Webster, Chapters 10-12
6)	The internet as a media	Allison Cavanagh. (2007). Sociology in the Age of the Internet. Open University Press. ISBN: 9780335217250. Section 2.
7)	Democracy and good governance in information society	CALDOW, Janet, “Governance in the Information Age”, a White Paper from the Institute for Electronic Government’s 2nd Annual Leadership Electronic Workshop, The Institute for Electronic Government: http://204.146.146.253
8)	Transformations: social classes, means of production, creative class Midterm	Webster, Chapters 13-16
9)	The internet as a social space	Allison Cavanagh. (2007). Sociology in the Age of the Internet. Open University Press. ISBN: 9780335217250. Section 3
10)	Surveillance and Privacy Homework submission II	Lecture Notes and David Lyon. (2001). Surveillance Society. Open University Press, ISBN: 9780335205462
11)	Politics and Society in Information Age	David S. Alberts and Daniel S. Papp. (1997). The Information Age: An Anthology on Its Impact and Consequences CCRP P Publication Series. Available at http://www.dodccrp.org/files/Alberts_Anthology_I.pdf; World
12)	Developing Project on Internet and Society in Turkey Project Proposal: 500-word proposal for major project is due in this week	Bring project proposal and oral presentataion (10 min.)
13)	Social Media and political communication	Text book: Webster
14)	Sources of Conflict and conflict resolution in information society	Bert-Jaap Koops: Books. (1998). The Crypto Controversy:A Key Conflict in the Information Society (Law and Electronic Commerce) (9789041111432):

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks:	Frank Webster, editor. (2004). The Information Society Reader. (London, NY: Routledge). Available at the Loyola Bookstore David Lyon. (2001). Surveillance Society. Open University Press, ISBN: 9780335205462.
References:	David S. Alberts and Daniel S. Papp. (1997). The Information Age: An Anthology on Its Impact and Consequences CCRP Publication Series. Available at http://www.dodccrp.org/files/Alberts_Anthology_I.pdf Various readings will be provided Diğer okumalar hoca tarafından verilecektir

Evaluation System

Semester Requirements	Number of Activities	Level of Contribution
Attendance	14	% 10
Homework Assignments	2	% 10
Presentation	1	% 10
Project	1	% 10
Midterms	1	% 20
Final	1	% 40
Total		% 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK		% 50
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK		% 50
Total		% 100

ECTS / Workload Table

Activities	Number of Activities	Duration (Hours)	Workload
Course Hours	14	3	42
Study Hours Out of Class	14	3	42
Presentations / Seminar	1	10	10
Project	1	20	20
Homework Assignments	1	10	10
Midterms	1	10	10
Total Workload			134

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

No Effect	1 Lowest	2 Low	3 Average	4 High	5 Highest

	Program Outcomes	Level of Contribution
1)	To learn and compare major sociology perspectives, both classical and contemporary, and apply all of them to analysis of social conditions.	4
2)	To be able to identify the basic methodological approaches in building sociological and anthropological knowledge at local and global levels	4
3)	To be able to use theoretical and applied knowledge acquired in the fields of statistics in social sciences.	2
4)	To have a basic knowledge of other disciplines (including psychology, history, political science, communication studies and literature) that can contribute to sociology and to be able to make use of this knowledge in analyzing sociological processes	5
5)	To have a knowledge and practice of scientific and ethical principles in collecting, interpreting and publishing sociological data also develop ability how to share this data with experts and lay people, using effective communication skills	5
6)	To develop competence in analyzing and publishing sociological knowledge by using computer software for quantitative and qualitative analysis; and develop an attitute for learning new techniques in these fields.	3
7)	To identify and to have a knowledge of the theories related to urban and rural sociology and demography, and political sociology, sociology of gender, sociology of body, visual sociology, sociology of work, sociology of religion, sociology of knowledge and sociology of crime.	5
8)	To have knowledge of how sociology is positioned as a scientific discipline from a philosophical and historical perspective	4
9)	To have the awareness of social issues in Turkish society, to develop critical perspective in analysing these issues and to have a knowledge of the works of Turkish sociologists and to be able to transfer this knowledge	2
10)	To have the awareness of social issues and global societal processes and to apply sociological analysis to development and social responsibility projects	5
11)	To have the ability to define a research question, design a research project and complete a written report for various fields of sociology, either as an individual or as a team member.	5
12)	To be able to transfer the knowledge gained in the areas of sociology to the level of secondary school.	3