Università Roma Tre

The main aim of this course (“Geopolitics of code. Languages, power and identity in digital networks”) is to learn how digital languages and instruments influence our everyday life, and how they create new cultural representations and self-representations that transform and standardize our knowledge, but also our cultures and societies as a whole. Students will be introduced to the theoretical and practical aspects of the so-called "bias" of digital media, unmask their often invisible infrastructures, and learn to investigate how software and algorithms shape our consciousness. Through examples taken from different places and geopolitical contexts you will also see how it is possible to make a critical and alternative use of these tools. The first part will introduce you to the main thinkers and ideas of the sociology and history of media studies, from Harold Innis to Marshall McLhuan, from Vannevar Bush to Tim Berners-Lee. This will give you the necessary background to deal with the second part that will take place in a computer lab. Here you will explore practically how codes work, and you will learn how to build a ‘digital edition’ of a text using HTML and XML. At the end of the course you will have an idea not only about how digital media shape the present geopolitical scenario, but you will have developed some practical experience on how also all computing “codes” and applications imply and reflect social, political and cultural views and biases. For all these reasons students’ physical attendance, especially during practical sessions, is highly recommended.