We live in an age of enormous change for both government and politics. The past few years have witnessed the spectacular rise of previously marginal political movements in both Europe and the US, which have rocked established party systems and swept away old ways of doing politics. Government structures are also dealing with considerable challenges, from austerity movements which in many countries are entering their second decade to the need to adapt to new technologies and fast changing populations.
Digital technologies form a key part of this contemporary challenge. Social media technologies have, according to some, facilitated the rise of populist and radical political movements, by lowering communication costs and enabling the distribution of new ideas. Data science is also being used to enable new forms of political campaigning (for example, micro targeting of advertisements) and indeed new forms of government (such as smart cities).
This option course will study government and politics in the digital era. Each week will have a 2-hour session tackling a key sub-field of research within the broader discipline of political science, especially as it concerns connections between citizens and the political processes.
This course aims to equip students to research politics and government in a data-intensive environment. By the end of the course, students will:
Director, Associate Professor, Senior Policy Fellow
Victoria Nash is the OII's Director and a Senior Policy Fellow. Her research focuses on the opportunities and risks experienced by children using digital technologies; she also leads OII engagement on Internet regulation and digital policy issues.
Former MSc SSI Course Director
Keegan McBride was a departmental research lecturer in AI, Government, and Policy at the OII. His research creates insight about the state in the digital age by exploring the interactions between the state, society, and technology.