ABSTRACT

In chapters examining a broad range of issues—including sexuality, politics, education, race, gender relations, the environment and social protest movements—Digitized Lives argues that making sense of digitized culture means looking past the glossy surface of techno gear to ask deeper questions about how we can utilize technology to create a more socially, politically and economically just world. This second edition includes important updates on mobile and social media, examining how new platforms and devices have altered how we interact with digital technologies in an allegedly ‘post-truth’ era.

A companion website (culturalpolitics.net/index/digital_cultures) includes links to online articles and useful websites, as well as a bibliography of offline resources, and more.

chapter 1|28 pages

How Do We Make Sense of Digitizing Cultures?

Some Ways of Thinking Through the Culture–Technology Matrix

chapter 2|24 pages

How Is the Digital World Made?

The Designer/Worker/User Production Cycle

chapter 3|23 pages

What’s New about Digitized Identities?

Mobile Bodies, Online Disguise, Cyberbullying and Virtual Communities

chapter 4|24 pages

Has Digital Culture Killed Privacy?

Social Media, Governments and Digitized Surveillance

chapter 5|38 pages

Is Everybody Equal Online?

Digitizing Gender, Ethnicity, Dis/Ability and Sexual Orientation

chapter 6|14 pages

Sexploration and/or Sexploitation?

Digitizing Desire

chapter 7|38 pages

Tools for Democracy or Authoritarianism?

Digitized Politics and the Post-Truth Era

chapter 8|24 pages

Are Digital Games Making Us Violent, or Will They Save the World?

Virtual Play, Real Impact

chapter 9|21 pages

Are Students Getting Dumber as Their Phones Get Smarter?

E-Learning, Edutainment and the Future of Knowledge Sharing

chapter 10|18 pages

Who in the World Is Online?

Digital Inclusions and Exclusions

chapter 11|10 pages

Conclusion: Will Robots and AIs Take Over the World?

Hope, Hype and Possible Digitized Futures