THE DIGITAL SOCIETY. 

Global mediatization research and technology. Findings, Challenges and International Perspectives in the Digital Age

Culture, politics, economy and society are infiltrated with new technological advancements. This leads to new forms of mediatization, as digital media are integrated into communicative structures in varied ways. At the same time, digitalization permeates everyday life on a personal, social and global level. Furthermore, developments in digital media technologies lead to mediatization processes on micro-, meso- and macro levels. The challenge that society and politics nowadays faces, is grasping the rapidly developing digital communication and its influence on all of us. The current ongoing changes in the field of digitalization are fascinating and demanding at the same time. Regions such as Carinthia are highly influential stakeholders within this multi-leveled process.  The class addresses an extremely up-to-date area, tackling questions and challenges pertaining to research of human communication in the digitalized age in the Alpen-Adria-Region, in Austria as well as on the European level.

The most renowned experts in the different fields will disclose perspectives and consequences of digitalization. In interactive assessments, the students will broaden their understanding of current developments in the field of digitalization and its international as well as local relevance. (1) After analyzing relevant literature in the different fields, students will (2) guide the discussion and (3) prepare and lead interviews with the experts. (4) These interviews will be recorded, transcribed and evaluated. (5) Excerpts will be broadcast on the YouTube Channel of the Alpen-Adria-Universität. (6) Core aspects and results will then be laid out in presentations, based on current empirical findings and the guest speakers’ expertise.These will be written out in homework assignments.