COMPETENCE AREA 6 | DIGITALITY AND SOCIETY
Digital cultures are diverse, surprising, and sometimes confusing or even frightening. Here is a brief insight into two such cultures:
The SCP Foundation is a collaborative multimedia storytelling project that integrates various genres but can essentially be classified as horror. This project is considered a milestone in collaborative fiction writing, as its creators have created a new literary genre consisting primarily of detailed, scientific-sounding descriptions of terrifying phenomena. These are supplemented by fictional interviews, educational expeditions, and video recordings. A special feature is the interlinking of several hundred to thousands of short stories, which create a common thread within individual narratives and beyond. At the same time, the stories are not subject to a fixed canon, which gives the writers creative freedom.
The “social experiment” Twitch Plays Pokémon started in 2014 and allowed users of the video streaming platform Twitch to play through a Pokémon video game together. There were two game modes: “Anarchy” and “Democracy.” In democracy mode, game inputs – i.e., which buttons to press – were determined by majority vote. In anarchy mode, on the other hand, all inputs from every user in the chat were immediately implemented in the game. Over the past eight years, more than 70 different Pokémon games have been successfully played through in this way with the help of various types of user interaction.
Anyone who dares to dive into the depths of the internet will be surprised: beyond your own family WhatsApp group, occasional Googling, or the public broadcast media library, the deep sea of the internet constantly reveals bizarre discoveries.
The central question is: What exactly are cultures of digitality? There are many definitions – also in the digital space. For this area of expertise, we work with the following definition:
Digital cultures are cultural phenomena that exist exclusively on the internet, i.e., they do not occur in analog or hybrid contexts, and they have specific characteristics. These may include their own forms of communication and interaction, rules of conduct, and customs, or they may simply not be translatable into analog contexts.
This module approaches the understanding of digital cultures by providing an overview of different cultural phenomena in the digital world and highlighting what makes them special. Participants deepen their knowledge by discussing the social and cultural impacts of these phenomena. This enables them not only to better contextualize them in current events, but also to apply their knowledge to future digital cultures.
6.1 Cultures of digitality
Recognize and understand different cultural phenomena and processes of change in digitality.
Dive into digital cultures
The aim of this task is to give participants an overview of the multitude of cultures that exist in the digital space.
Talk show: Digital cultures
The aim of this task is for participants to engage intensively with positions and controversies surrounding different cultures of digitality in order to analyze and classify their social influence.
6.2 Identity formation and digitality
Understanding and reflecting on identity and identity formation processes against the backdrop of digitality.
Identity masquerade
The aim of this task is for participants to learn about different identities and understand how these stereotypes work. These do not necessarily only occur online, but can often be observed here, especially on social media.
Who am I and how much can be earned with me?
The aim of this task is for participants to learn how algorithms create commercial identities for them and how they can deal with this critically.
6.3 Power and digitality
Understanding and reflecting on social power and power shift processes against the backdrop of digitality.
The Internet as an engine room
The aim of this task is for participants to gain a basic understanding of what algorithms, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are and how they work. In addition, participants should also learn how the Internet works and how it is kept running.
Knowledge is power, (no) fun
The aim of the task is for participants to understand what power means in the digital age, how it is exercised, and by whom. They should also learn to develop a critical perspective on this power.
6.4 Visions of digitality
Understanding, reflecting on, and participating in visions of digitality.
Doc Brown and the utopias of youth work
The aim of the task is for participants to become familiar with digital concepts and techniques in the context of youth work and to be able to apply them. Initial inhibitions should be alleviated by thinking in utopian terms, and a feeling for the possible applications of visionary digital techniques should be developed.
Is the future a dystopia? Back to the drawing board!
The aim of the task is for participants to learn about different visions of the future digital society and actively engage with which future prospects are desirable at the societal level.