IT University Copenhagen | Denmark

Now that we are living in an information (or knowledge?) society the Internet is not only a place to meet people online and to organize actual dates via the net, a place to learn, work, to buy and sell, etc., but also a place where political activities are organized and carried out. Thus, certain questions occur: Are we living in a digital world, and will we become digital citizens? And if so, what are our rights and duties in such a digital world?

From May 30 until June 01, 2011 several PhD students with various disciplinary backgrounds and nationalities came together to discuss the question of digital citizenship together with distinguished scholars in the field, such as Maria Bakardjieva (University of Calgary), Andrew Feenberg (Simon Fraser University), Peter Dahlgren (Lund University), Lisbeth Klastrup and Bjarki Valtysson (both from the IT University of Copenhagen).

The course was structured according four themes:

1. public participation in technological development, design and policy
2. digital media technologies and civic engagement
3. digital media and citizenship in everyday life
4. digital media and cultural institutions

Besides from introductory lectures and Q&A-sessions on the readings with the Professors, the course did not follow on the usual student-presents-audience-listens-format, but students acted as interviewers/interviewees and respondents. This ensured lively discussions and the engagement of the participants, as well as more intense feedback on the individual PhD projects. A very inspiring course with even more inspiring people, both the professors and students.

Please visit the Blog at digitalcitizenship for further information.