Technology, Bodies and the Lifecourse
Overview
This unit explores the social implications of contemporary biotechnologies and communication technologies on the health, well-being and identity construction of children and adults. It engages with key debates in science and technology studies, and the sociology of health and illness. It requires students to consider questions such as: Are long hours spent playing computer games harming our children? Why are companies starting to pay their female employees to freeze their ova and will women embrace this latest means of delaying motherhood? To what extent can robots and/or computer screens replace human companions for older adults?
Requisites
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Analyse competing sources of evidence about the influence of technologies across the human life course
- Identify and critically engage with social theory about how technologies influence health outcomes, well-being and identity construction
- Distinguish a sociological approach to biotechnologies and communication technologies from technologically determinist approaches
- Communicate sociological ideas, principles and knowledge in oral and written form
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Lecture | 2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Tutorial | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| Specified Learning Activities (Phasing out) Readings | 2.00 | 10 weeks | 20 |
| Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out) Individual Study | 7.83 | 12 weeks | 94 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | Individual | 50% | 2,3,4 |
| Online Quiz | Individual | 10% | 2,3 |
| Presentation | Group | 40% | 1,4 |
Content
- Identities, health and technologies: key concepts and thinkers
- Children and young people’s screen time
- Health, parent/child relationships and technologies
- Fertility, reproductive bodies and health
- Fitness, ‘life-logging’ and the quantified self
- Anti-ageing supplements and expectations of ‘ageing well’
- Online love, Viagra and ageing sexualities
- Technologies, well-being and ageing ‘in place’
- Dementia, care and communication technologies
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.