Communication 497DL - ST- Comm, Tech & Work

This course will examine the different ways that communication and digital technologies are shaping notions of work and labor. We will engage with ongoing debates on topics such as the sharing economy (e.g. Uber/Lyft driving), microwork (e.g. Amazon Mechanical Turk), microcelebrity (e.g. YouTube stars and Instagram influencers), tech entrepreneurship both in Silicon Valley and other parts of the world, as well as the work that goes into making popular consumer technologies like the iPhone. By the end of the course, you should have a critical understanding of the economic and social forces underlying shifts in digital labor, communication, technology, and work. The coursework includes digital assignments, reading responses, and a research paper.

Open to Senior and Junior Communication majors only. All other majors by permission of the instructor, savle@umass.edu.