Information and Society
Code
722051227
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
História
Credits
6
Weekly hours
3 letivas + 1 tutorial
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
By completing this course students will be able to:
a)Understand basic concepts and theories of information, information society and network society;
b)Evidence awareness of the value, importance and significance of information in the present days;
c)Critically discuss diverse perspectives on the information society;
d)Relate the diverse facets of globalisation occurred in the last few decades to the development of information technology;
e)Analyse the present strategic relevance of information organizations in society as instruments of access to information and knowledge
f)Understand the roles of information professionals (namely librarians, archivists and documentalists) in contemporary society
g)Apply ethical and legal principles of information society to their activities as information professionals.
Prerequisites
None.
Subject matter
1.Introduction and course overview
2.Historical perspective
3.Technological perspective
4.Economic perspective
5.Work perspective
6.Political perspective
7.Educational and cultural perspective
8.Ethics perspective
9.Legal perspective
10.Information professionals
Bibliography
Castells, M. 2005-2007. A era da informação : economia, sociedade e cultura. Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian
FEATHER, J. 2008. The information society: A study of continuity and change. 5th ed. London : Facet
Gonçalves, Maria Eduarda. 2003. Direito da informação: novos direitos e formas de regulação na sociedade da informação. Coimbra: Almedina
Lyon, D. 1992. A sociedade da informação: Questões e ilusões. Oeiras: Celta
WEBSTER, F. 2006. Theories of the information society. 3rd ed . London: Routledge
Teaching method
Teaching methods will be very diversified. They will consist of speeches supported by presentations and audiovisual materials (namely short films), of group discussion (small and large groups), and individual research activities.
Evaluation method
The evaluation of the course will be made on a continuous basis, through two kinds of assignments: ACTIVITIES and one FINAL WORK, each one counting 50% for the final mark. There will be five activities, approximately one every fortnight. The final work will have the form of a literature review.