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The Global Governance of Technology (POLS90051)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
Overview
Availability | February |
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This subject will introduce students to theoretical approaches that move beyond stale technological determinist or instrumentalist approaches – the dominant traditional take on technology within politics and international relations – to outline new work that stresses the socially constructed and inherently political nature of technological objects. It will offer students clear outlines of the main emerging theoretical approaches to the politics of technology, discussing approaches such as the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT), Actor-Network Theory (ANT), the Critical Theory of Technology, and poststructuralist engagements such as the ‘New Materialism’ in order to give students the theoretical background to approach the politics of technology in a sophisticated manner. It aims to introduce students to different approaches to technology in global politics through a survey of traditional and emerging theoretical approaches to this subject matter and, in turn, how such theoretical approaches can be used to analysis the diverse international political processes of Internet governance, the Revolution in Military Affairs, Nuclear Weapons and Weapons of Mass Destruction, Technologies of the Global Economy, and the technological politics of climate change.
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- gain knowledge of the different theoretical approaches to understanding technology within social theory and International Relations; and
- have an awareness of technological determinism, path dependency and their place in analyzing global politics; and
- demonstrate how different theories approach and analyze the politics of technology in specific issue areas; how different concepts have different political implications; and
- learn how to structure and present an argument in both oral and written communication; the appropriate use of evidence to support an argument; the development of research skills.
Generic skills
Student who successfully complete this subject should:
- demonstrate strong written and oral communication skills; and
- demonstrate the ability to craft a logical, well-structured, and empirically support argument; and
- demonstrate the ability to critically examine theoretical concepts and how concepts are employed in concrete analysis; and
- illustrate the ability to employ theoretical concepts in empirical analysis in their own work.
Last updated: 30 October 2023