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Digital Politics: Digital Activism and Cyber Warfare

Get an expert introduction to digital politics, including fake news, new digital technologies, and hashtag protests.

887 enrolled on this course

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Digital Politics: Digital Activism and Cyber Warfare

887 enrolled on this course

  • 4 weeks

  • 1 hour per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Open level

Find out more about how to join this course

Discover the cutting-edge subject of digital politics

Recent years have seen serious upheaval in global politics, led by developments in digital technologies.

From controversies over state hacking to huge protests organised online and cyber warfare, digital technology is increasingly changing the way the world works. On this course, you’ll get an expert introduction to the fascinating new discipline of digital politics.

Learn what digital politics is and where it can be applied

Digital politics lies at the intersection of vital areas such as international relations, political economy, sociology, media, and communication studies.

You’ll learn how the field brings together the latest in political research and lies at the forefront of debates around national and global politics.

Explore fake news, digital warfare, and digital technologies

Explore how digital tech is changing activism and political campaigning, and work to understand how digital warfare is challenging international relations.

You’ll discover how the digital world is revolutionising politics in general, and fueling the global rise of populism.

Study with politics specialists at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)

You’ll learn from senior staff at MMU who are experts in the fields of digital politics and political communication and study with an international cohort of learners and politics students.

Come away with an expanded understanding of this vital area of international relations and world politics.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    What is digital politics: an introduction to the field

    • Why digital politics?

      In the world of hashtag protest, cyberwars, fake news and algorithmic biases, the topic of Digital Politics is both timely and exciting.

    • What can be considered digital politics?

      Learners are introduced to the definition and examples of digital politics.

  • Week 2

    How do digital technologies transform wars and conflicts?

    • What is digital war?

      The role of digital technologies in wars and conflicts

    • Cyberwars

      Discussing impact and regulation of cyberwars

    • War-themed computer games

      An opportunity to look at alternative computer games

    • Social media as a global battlefield

      What is an on-line battlefield? Why is social media becoming weaponised? What is ‘likewar’?

  • Week 3

    How do digital technologies change activism?

    • Understanding digital activism

      What is digital activism?

    • Digital activism

      Discussing digital activism

  • Week 4

    How do digital technologies change contemporary political campaigns?

    • Understanding social media and algorithm

      The use of social media and algorithms

    • Political campaigns in the digital age

      Identifying a political campaign shared on social media.

    • Final reflection

      Reflection on the course

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explore the field of digital politics, what it means, and where it can be applied
  • Identifying conceptual tools to discuss dilemmas posed by digital warfare to international relations, and politics more broadly
  • Debates on the change digital technologies bring to activism
  • Evaluate changes brought to political campaigns by digital technologies and gaining a critical understanding of the rise of populism and its relation with political campaigns in the digital age

Who is the course for?

This course is aimed at learners seeking an introduction to the key ideas and concepts in the field of digital politics. It will be of interest to those working in the NGO sector, public services, local and national government, or international charities or business, or considering starting such a career.

The course will be valuable to those working, or considering to work in social media communication. Finally, the course will also be of interest to anyone wishing to learn more about the rapidly growing field of digital politics, political communication and global digital economies.

Who developed the course?

Manchester Metropolitan University

Manchester Met University has a driving ambition to discover and disseminate knowledge and make higher education as accessible and beneficial to all those with the passion and ability to succeed.

Ways to learn

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$349.99 for one year

Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$134/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 22 May 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Learning on FutureLearn

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  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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