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The module covers the main theories and issues of the information age. You will become familiar with topics such as: the nature of information; the ongoing ‘information technology revolution’; major theorists of the information society; critiques of the information society; how information, including news, flows through society; the political public sphere; information regulation; the impact of the internet on journalism, democracy and society; agenda-setting in the information age; privacy and surveillance; the digital divide and its challenge to ideals of social justice; major developments in intellectual property and the economics of information; the political economy of communication; national, European and global information institutions. Please note that, in light of the fast pace of developments in both theory and practice, this syllabus is subject to development.

LO1: Assess the main schools of thought in the literature on new media and the information society.
LO2: Discuss and debate key contemporary issues, such as privacy invasions, the digital divide, and the implications of technological and industrial convergence.
LO3: Apply current thinking to emerging challenges confronting professionals in a post-industrial information-based work-force.
LO4: Demonstrate academic research skills sufficient for preparation for honours studies.