Kursinformation

It is said that digitalisation will connect all people of the world. However, digitalisation is not only a technical solution, but also a cultural, practical and political challenge. Already in the preparation of this seminar with colleagues in China and Taiwan, we experienced the difficulties of finding a common messenger to communicate. In China, many applications are regulated, and in Germany, we may have reservations about Chinese applications. Cultural and political differences manifest themselves in our smartphones and shape differences in everyday life.

In this seminar, we will use a feminist science and technology studies perspective to explore how data shape local and regional cultural and gendered practices. We do this by looking at social media use, discourses of the digital city, and regional transformations through digital industries and infrastructures. The seminar unfolds partly in a "global classroom" format together with with students from Jinan (China) and Hsinchu (Taiwan) and their professors Sharon Ku (NYCU) and Xianghong Wu (Shandong University). In the global classroom students from the three countries meet and share their observations and experiences. We hope that the encounters between the students will generate direct experiences of socio-techical diversity.

The seminar will unfold in six blocks, all of which take place on campus. From here, we will collaborate online with China and Taiwan in four of the blocks.

- The first block will be a full day and will introduce the literature and approaches of the seminar through a combination of lectures, discussions and group work. Please note that this session will take place on 3 April 2024 - one week before the official start of lectures.

- The second, third and fourth blocks will be "research blocks" combined with the global classroom format. In the week before the meeting in the global classroom, students will receive small research assignments on cultural and gender aspects of either social media, smart city discourses and regional transformation. The tasks will involve small observations, conversations, and digital methods, all thoroughly described to limit the work time. Students will conduct the research in their own local context - in Bochum, in Jinan or in Hsinchu. In the global classroom on Thursday mornings, students will share their local observations in small groups and reflect together on the different observations made by students from the other countries. We aim to engage deeply with the three local contexts, practices, and experiences rather than limit ourselves to technical and impersonal comparisons.

- In the fifth block, students in the transnational groups will present their findings.

- The last block is reserved for a final discussion of the experiences of the intercultural encounters, and a theoretical discussion of the gender and cultural aspects of the socio-technical research observations.

The Global Classroom format is new at the RUB, and we are very interested in an open exchange about your experiences with it from a student perspective. With the exception of Wednesday 3 April, the seminar will take place on Thursdays from 8:30-11:45 hrs and will end on 16 May.

Voraussetzungen für Studiennachweise / Modulprüfungen:

Application for admission starts on 01 March 2024, 8.00 am via eCampus. Applicants will be placed on a waiting list. 20 spaces are available in the seminar. Confirmations of participation will be sent on 25 March 2024.

Studiennachweis:

- Active participation in the global classroom and in your student group.

- Completion of the research assignments in a portfolio.

Leistungsnachweis:

The achievements of a "Studiennachweis" plus

- a) a final paper (written reflection on the seminar (6 CP)) **or**

- b) in combination with another seminar within the same module, an oral exam covering the contents of the module (**mündliche Modulabschlussprüfung** (3 CP)).