Structure of the Curriculum

Sociology of Technoculturalism (M)

Sociology of Technoculturalism (M)
COURSE OUTLINE
GENERAL
SCHOOLSchool of Economics and Political Science
DEPARTMENTSociology
Level of StudyUndergraduate
COURSE CODE431084
COURSE TITLESociology of Technoculturalism (M)
Independent Teaching Activities Weekly Teaching Hours CREDIT UNITS
Lectures - assignments 3 6
TOTAL 3 6
Course TypeGeneral Background
Prerequisite CoursesNo
Teaching and Examination LanguageGreek
THE COURSE IS OFFERED TO ERASMUS STUDENTSNo
Course Webpage (URL)https://eclass.uoa.gr/courses/SOC258/
(2) LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to understand, analyze, and interpret the reciprocal relationship between technology and society, applying theoretical tools to the analysis of technoculture. Specifically:

Knowledge
Students understand the significance of technological developments in the historical and social formation of structures and cultural practices, recognize the theoretical approaches that analyze the relationship between technology and society, and are familiar with the key issues related to labor, communication, the body, community, and politics in the techno-cultural sphere.

Skills
Students analyze social and cultural phenomena related to technologies, apply theoretical tools to practical examples of technoculture, evaluate the social, political, and cultural impacts of technologies, and synthesize well-substantiated analyses and arguments in written and oral discourse.

Skills
Students develop critical thinking regarding contemporary techno-cultural reality, are able to connect theoretical frameworks with practical examples, participate in collective analyses and discussions, and evaluate the dynamics emerging from the encounter of people, technologies, and ideas.

General Capabilities

Upon completion of the course, students will have developed skills including:

  • Ability to search, evaluate and synthesize information from theoretical and digital sources.
  • Critical and reflective thinking on the relationship between technology, society, and culture.
  • Ability to manage and utilize digital tools and platforms for content analysis and presentation.
  • Oral and written communication skills in an academic and cross-disciplinary context.
  • Team collaboration and participation in collective activities using digital media.
  • Awareness of issues concerning social inequalities, productive and cultural structures, as well as the ethical use of technologies.
(3) COURSE CONTENT

The course Sociology of Technoculture explores the complex and reciprocal relationship between technology and culture, focusing on how technological developments historically and socially co-shape both structures and cultural practices. The course approach does not view technology as a neutral force, but examines it as a social product, an extension, and a field of relationships, conflicts, and negotiations within societies.
Through various theoretical approaches – from classical sociology and technology theory to contemporary analyses of digital and material culture – the course examines issues concerning community, labor, communication, the body, politics, and social practices. Special emphasis is placed on the interactions between humans, machines, and ideas, as well as on the dynamics that emerge from the convergence of technologies with cultural patterns, production models, aesthetic values, material infrastructures, and the media.
The course combines theoretical analysis with case studies and examples from everyday life and techno-cultural practice, covering issues such as infrastructures, telematics technologies, communication networks, surveillance systems, the digitization of labor, as well as cultural industry practices. It also examines the aesthetic dimension of technologies, the production and distribution of cultural content, information management, and the operation of the material infrastructures that connect people, machines, and ideas.
The aim of the course is the development of critical thinking around the interaction between technology and society, the understanding of the structures and practices emerging from this interaction, and the ability to evaluate the cultural, social, and political consequences of technological changes. Through this study, students become familiar with different theoretical frameworks for the analysis of technoculture, while simultaneously developing skills in critical reading, theoretical synthesis, and the practical application of knowledge to contemporary technocultural phenomena.

(4) TEACHING & LEARNING METHODS – EVALUATION
DELIVERY METHODFace to face
Information and Communication Technologies
  • E-class platform: Used for posting lectures, supplementary material, study instructions, and communicating with students, supporting both asynchronous learning and assignment submission.
  • Audiovisual material: Image, video, and documentary projections are utilized to develop questions regarding aesthetics, social and cultural practices, production structures, and infrastructure politics within the techno-cultural context.
Activity Semester Workload
Lectures 39
Work 39
Standalone Study 69
Participation in exams 3
Course Summary 150
Student Evaluation
Process Description Evaluation
  1. Attendance and Participation (10%)
  2. Preparation and Presentation of a Project (40%)
  3. Final Exam (50%)

The assessment of the students in the course is based on the understanding of theoretical frameworks, critical processing, and the ability to apply knowledge to practical examples of technocultural phenomena, such as infrastructures, tools, telematics technologies, and communication systems. The goal of the assessment is to ensure that students understand the relationships between technology, society, and culture and are able to analyze and interpret their consequences in various social and cultural domains.

(5) RECOMMENDED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Suggested Bibliography

  • Friedrich Kittler, 2005. Gramophone, Film, Typewriter, Athens: Nissos.
  • Mitsos Bilalis, 2025. Public History in the Age of Social Media, Athens: Nisos.

210 36 88 746
210 36 88 719

Secretariat telephone numbers

secr@soc.uoa.gr

Email Secretariat