Sociology 291: Community and Conflict in Cyberspace

WINTER 1997

Textbooks:

Required texts:

Recommended, but not required:

Course description

Community and Conflict in Cyberspace will be a "virtual," hands on, interactive course which will explore the sociological significance of virtual reality. We will focus on how computer mediated communication impacts the development of self, groups, and organizations. The special focus of the course will be on the nature and emergence of "virtual communities." We will also examine the variety of groups that are establishing a presence in Cyberspace. We will explore how these groups use the "net" as a means to foster a sense of identity and promote their own particular interests. The impact of this intersection between social and technological change will be evaluated in terms of its consequences for American society today and the global community of the 21st Century.

Course Objectives:

The basic objective of this course is to provide students with an introduction the sociology of computer mediated communication, and to examine the emerging forms of socially constructed reality centered on the internet and wide world web. Lectures, reading assignments, discussions, interactive investigations, and critical thinking activities will be used to familiarize students with the theories, methods and concepts of the emerging sociological analysis of virtual reality.

Specifically, students will be expected to:

Course Requirements:

Student evaluations will be based upon a variety of written and interactive work. Students will be required to set up their own homepages on the WWW. Final grades will be based on course projects (there will be a variety of short critical thinking projects and a major project in which students will analyze the development and structure of a particualr "virtual community") which will be presented through the WWW and student's homepages. The last two class sessions will be devoted to these presentations.

Students are expected to complete all readings prior to the scheduled class discussions. Student participation in class discussions of the reading materials is expected. Students will be called upon for their input on issues, readings and current events relevant to the topics at hand.

There is a class Listserv (SO291@umslvma.umsl.edu)- a group e-mail system- which I have created for your use. This will give you the opportunity to discuss issues, ask questions, be notified of course changes, and develop individual and group interests. All students registered for the course will be assigned computer accounts. Your user ID will be Sxxxxxx (where xxxxxx is your student number, students with a 7 digit number will not use the first 1 of the student number. Your password will be the first four letters of your last name--you will be prompted to change your password the first time you access your account. You must access your account for the first time through the "CMS" system in order to establish a permanent password. Your full internet address will be Sxxxxxx@umslvma.umsl.edu (NOTE: Students who are having their accounts activated for the first time will be assigned to a different mail server. Addresses for these students will be sxxxxxx@jinx.umsl.edu). You may use this system to communicate with people both on and off campus

If you already have a computer account, nothing will be changed. Not only can you access the internet e-mail system through this account, but other services too: gopher, WWW, ftp, etc. You can obtain software from room 404 CCB that will allow to connect to the system from home, if you have a computer and modem. If you have a commercial account (AOL, Prodigy, etc), I can have your e-mail from the Listserv sent there.

Participation on the Listserv is mandatory, and relatively simple: It's just reading and sending E-Mail. You will receive credit towards your final grade for just accessing your account and using it. I do monitor activity on the Listserv and consider your participation as part of your class participation grade. If you fail to access the listserv and send at least one message to the class (the message must be somehow related to our discussions) you will not receive any credit for participation. A total of 5 messages (questions or comments related to class topics) will be required for full credit. Further instructions for using this system will be given on the first day of class. Additional instructions can be found in the handout, "Using Computers for Fun and Profit", which was distributed along with this syllabus on the first day of class. This document also includes the location and operating times of the campus computing labs.

This class will utilize the world wide web as both an educational and classroom resource. Lecture notes for all class room presentations will be available for your viewing and printing through Netscape or some other web browser. The syllabus, assignments, additional course readings and other materials can also be accessed through Mr. Keel's HomePage.

This is an intensive course. Students are expected to attend class regularly, arrive on time and stay until the class is dismissed. Late arrivals and early departures demonstrate a lack of concern for the instructor and your classmates. This is your class, you are paying for it. It is your responsibility to arrange your schedule to allow you to attend the class. Excessive disruptions, from whatever source or for whatever reason, will not be tolerated. Texts should be brought to each class session.

Details and specific guidelines as to the nature of the above requirements will be discussed during the first class meeting.

Grading:

Percentage distribution for the course requirements in determining the final grade is as follows:

Grading Scale:

Incremental grading, as per University guidelines, will be used in the course.

Course Schedule:

This course will be structured along a seminar/discussion format. The first half of the course will be devoted to reviewing and elaborating basic elements of the sociological perspective as they relate to an understanding of virtual interaction and communities. During the second half of the course students will develop specific analyses of groups and organizations emerging in cyberspace, and present their work to the class. Besides the readings listed at the beginning of the syllabus, an additional bibliography of relevant work- both written and electronic will be provided as we move through the semester. Students are expected to acquaint themselves with the material listed below, and explore (and report to class on their findings) other resources- This is a field of study in the making; our course is part of this process!

Part 1- Basic Concepts and Issues: Society, Technology, and Cyberspace