Politics of Technology: From the Luddites to the Unabomber - POL00054H
Module summary
The aim of this course is to get students to think politically about technology. Themes will include anti-technology radicalism (from the Luddites to the Unabomber), the relation between democracy and technocracy, the challenges of accountability and responsiveness, and technological utopias and dystopias.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2025-26 |
Module aims
This course aims to get students to think politically about technology. This aim will be realised by two parallel approaches. First, the course will critically examine the common assumption that technology might have political impact, but does not itself have a politics. We will then go on to engage with a wide range of thinkers and theories of the politics of technology, each of which will be linked to a theme. Themes include anti-technology radicalism (from the luddites to the Unabomber), the relation between democracy and technocracy, the challenges of accountability and responsiveness, surveillance capitalism, and techno-imaginaries, utopias and dystopias. Second, students will ground their studies of the politics of technology in detailed case studies. The students will select and develop cases and analyse them drawing on the thinkers and themes. Possible cases include: Artificial Intelligence (AI), geoengineering, cars, genetics, and nuclear power. Working back and forth across thinkers, themes, and cases, students will be able to think about and analyse technology in its relation to economy, society, and politics.
Module learning outcomes
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Demonstrate detailed knowledge of theories of the politics of technology and a range of key cases. (PLO1)
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Critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of arguments, using critical reasoning and (where appropriate) empirical analysis of case studies. (PLO2)
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Work independently to set goals and objectives in order to solve problems through the creative application of appropriate theoretical and practical perspectives and analysis of relevant literatures. (PLO4)
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Communicate arguments effectively and fluently, translating advanced ideas from the module in written work. (PLO5)
- Work independently in light of the values of tolerance and inclusivity, and recognise the ethical and political implications of holding different theoretical positions. (PLO6).
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
Students will receive written timely feedback on their formative assessment. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their feedback during the module tutor?s feedback and guidance hours.
Students will receive written feedback on their summative assessment no later than 25 working days after submission; and the module tutor will hold a specific session to discuss feedback, which students can also opt to attend. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their feedback during the module tutor?s regular feedback and guidance hours.
Indicative reading
Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson (2023) Power and Progress
Chris Bickerton and Carlo Invernizzi-Accetti (2022) Technopopulism
Jacques Ellul (1954) The Technological Society
Jürgen Habermas (1968) Science and Technology as Ideology
Helen Margetts et al. (2016) Political turbulence: how social media shape collective action.
Frank Pasquale (2015) The Black Box Society
Langdon Winner (1980) Do Artefacts Have Politics?