New Media and Society
A sociological approach to understanding new media’s impact on society

We use cell phones, computers, and tablets to access the Internet, read the news, watch television, chat with our friends, make our appointments, and post on social networking sites. New media provide the backdrop for most of our encounters. We swim in a technological world yet we rarely think about how new media potentially change the ways in which we interact with one another or shape how we live our lives.

In New Media and Society, Deana Rohlinger provides a sociological approach to understanding how new media shape our interactions, our experiences, and our institutions. Using case studies and in-class exercises, Rohlinger explores how new media alter everything from our relationships with friends and family to our experiences in the workplace. Each chapter takes up a different topic – our sense of self and our relationships, education, religion, law, work, and politics – and assesses how new media alter our worlds as well as our expectations and experiences in institutional settings. Instead of arguing that these changes are “good” or “bad” for American society, the book uses sociological theory to challenge readers to think about the consequences of these changes, which typically have both positive and negative aspects.

New Media and Society begins with a brief explanation of new media and social institutions, highlighting how sociologists understand complex, changing relationships. After outlining the influence of new media on our identities and relationships, it discusses the effects new media have on how we think about education, practice our religions, understand police surveillance, conceptualize work, and participate in politics. Each chapter includes key sociological concepts, engaging activities that illustrate the ideas covered in the chapter, as well as links, films, and references to additional online material.

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New Media and Society
A sociological approach to understanding new media’s impact on society

We use cell phones, computers, and tablets to access the Internet, read the news, watch television, chat with our friends, make our appointments, and post on social networking sites. New media provide the backdrop for most of our encounters. We swim in a technological world yet we rarely think about how new media potentially change the ways in which we interact with one another or shape how we live our lives.

In New Media and Society, Deana Rohlinger provides a sociological approach to understanding how new media shape our interactions, our experiences, and our institutions. Using case studies and in-class exercises, Rohlinger explores how new media alter everything from our relationships with friends and family to our experiences in the workplace. Each chapter takes up a different topic – our sense of self and our relationships, education, religion, law, work, and politics – and assesses how new media alter our worlds as well as our expectations and experiences in institutional settings. Instead of arguing that these changes are “good” or “bad” for American society, the book uses sociological theory to challenge readers to think about the consequences of these changes, which typically have both positive and negative aspects.

New Media and Society begins with a brief explanation of new media and social institutions, highlighting how sociologists understand complex, changing relationships. After outlining the influence of new media on our identities and relationships, it discusses the effects new media have on how we think about education, practice our religions, understand police surveillance, conceptualize work, and participate in politics. Each chapter includes key sociological concepts, engaging activities that illustrate the ideas covered in the chapter, as well as links, films, and references to additional online material.

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New Media and Society

New Media and Society

by Deana A. Rohlinger
New Media and Society

New Media and Society

by Deana A. Rohlinger

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Overview

A sociological approach to understanding new media’s impact on society

We use cell phones, computers, and tablets to access the Internet, read the news, watch television, chat with our friends, make our appointments, and post on social networking sites. New media provide the backdrop for most of our encounters. We swim in a technological world yet we rarely think about how new media potentially change the ways in which we interact with one another or shape how we live our lives.

In New Media and Society, Deana Rohlinger provides a sociological approach to understanding how new media shape our interactions, our experiences, and our institutions. Using case studies and in-class exercises, Rohlinger explores how new media alter everything from our relationships with friends and family to our experiences in the workplace. Each chapter takes up a different topic – our sense of self and our relationships, education, religion, law, work, and politics – and assesses how new media alter our worlds as well as our expectations and experiences in institutional settings. Instead of arguing that these changes are “good” or “bad” for American society, the book uses sociological theory to challenge readers to think about the consequences of these changes, which typically have both positive and negative aspects.

New Media and Society begins with a brief explanation of new media and social institutions, highlighting how sociologists understand complex, changing relationships. After outlining the influence of new media on our identities and relationships, it discusses the effects new media have on how we think about education, practice our religions, understand police surveillance, conceptualize work, and participate in politics. Each chapter includes key sociological concepts, engaging activities that illustrate the ideas covered in the chapter, as well as links, films, and references to additional online material.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781479845699
Publisher: New York University Press
Publication date: 02/05/2019
Edition description: New Edition
Pages: 240
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Deana A. Rohlinger is Professor of Sociology at Florida State University. She is the author of Abortion Politics, Mass Media, and Social Movements in America and co-editor of Social Movements and Mass Media and Media, Movements, and Political Change.

Table of Contents

Figures and Tables xi

Introduction: Understanding Social Institutions and Ourselves in a New Media Society 1

Key Concepts 1

Social Institutions Explained 4

A Sociological Approach to Studying New Media 8

Understanding New Media in American Society 14

Conclusion 16

Chapter Links 18

Chapter Review Questions 18

Learn More 18

Videos and Movies 19

Chapter References 19

1 Virtual Selves and Textual Encounters 21

Key Concepts 21

Case Study: TallHotBlonde 26

Cyber Family 27

Digital Relationships 34

Case Study: The Curated Life Online 35

Reproducing Inequality: Racial Inequality Online 43

Case Study: Living Life Online 45

Conclusion 45

Chapter Links 46

Chapter Review Questions 47

Learn More 47

Videos and Movies 48

Chapter References 48

2 Education in the Digital Age 50

Key Concepts 50

Functionalist Approaches to Education 54

Case Study: Who's Responsible for Cyberbullying? 59

Conflict Theory: Can Technology Fix the Educational Inequality Gap? 61

Symbolic Interaction: The Role of Teachers in the Digital Age 66

Case Study: Massive Open Online Courses 67

Conclusion 71

Reproducing Inequality: For-Profit, Online Education 72

Chapter Links 74

Chapter Review Questions 75

Learn More 75

Videos and Movies 77

Chapter References 77

3 Religion.com 79

Key Concepts 79

Durkheim and Religion 84

Changing Religious Practices in the Digital Age 86

Religious Community Online 93

Reproducing Inequality: Death in the Digital Age 94

Case Study: Extremist Religious Communities 99

Religious Dysfunction Online 101

Case Study: Countering Extremism Online 104

Conclusion 105

Chapter Links 106

Chapter Review Questions 107

Learn More 107

Videos and Movies 108

Chapter References 108

4 Is Big Brother Watching Us? 110

Key Concepts 110

The "Living" Law 116

Reproducing inequality: "Big Data" and Policing 119

New Media and Citizen Challenges to Authority 120

Case Study: Law Enforcement and Body Cameras 127

Corporations versus Legal Institutions: Who Rules Virtual Space? 128

Case Study: Corporations and Dataveillance 136

Case Study: Apple versus the FBI 138

Navigating a Digital World: Dealing with Surveillance 139

Conclusion 142

Chapter Links 144

Chapter Review Questions 144

Learn More 145

Videos and Movies 146

Chapter References 147

5 The Changing World of Work 149

Key Concepts 149

Alienation vs. Autonomy 154

Flexicurity: What Does This Mean for Alienation and Autonomy? 161

Reproducing Inequality: The Case of Uber 170

Efficiency and Productivity 172

Case Study: Marina Shifrin's YouTube Resignation 177

Conclusion 178

Chapter Links 179

Chapter Review Questions 179

Learn More 179

Videos and Movies 180

Chapter References 181

6 Is This What Democracy Looks Like? 183

Key Concepts 183

Individual Political Participation and Social Inclusion 193

Political Organizations and Social Inclusion 199

Case Study: Vote Swapping and Presidential Elections 200

New Media, New Organizations 201

Political Organizations and the Agenda-Setting Process 208

Political Organizations and Traditional News Outlets 210

Reproducing Inequality: The "Alt Right" Online 214

Political Organizations and New Media 215

Conclusion 216

Case Study: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals 217

Chapter Links 219

Chapter Review Questions 219

Learn More 219

Videos and Movies 221

Chapter References 222

Conclusion 225

New Media and Us 226

Reproducing Inequality: Net Neutrality 228

New Media and Social Institutions 229

Now What? 235

Acknowledgments 237

Glossary 239

Index 247

About the Author 253

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