Gendering Technology: Discourse, Use And Practice

Module description

Does gender affect how we interact with technology? Can technology have a gender? These questions will inform discussions and debates about the ways in which people produce and consume technology (both hardware and software). By looking at histories and trends in the integration of technology into everyday life this module will interrogate the relationship between technology and gender, and open up questions about how today's tools both challenge and reproduce ideologies of gender. During this module, students will assess contemporary debates about the role various technologies play in the production of gender norms and practices. In analysing a range of hardware and software, students will engage with gender and technology theories from research in internet studies, sociology, anthropology, gender studies, history and philosophy. Developing an interdisciplinary understanding of these theories will facilitate critical engagement with popular debates about technology's role in the production of everyday life and its gendered substructures.

Assessment details

Coursework:

1,000 word essay (10%)
Group presentation (10%)
2,000 word final essay (80%)

Educational aims & objectives

This module aims to:

• Introduce students to core theories in gender studies • Situate gender theories in relation to debates and perceptions of technology

Learning outcomes

1.Construct a framework of gender tropes dominant in histories of technology. 2.Synthesise contemporary debates about the relationship between technology and gender. 3.Critically evaluate gendered representations of technology in popular culture.

Module description disclaimer

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

Please note that the module descriptions above are related to the current academic year and are subject to change.