This book provides a critical introduction to the ways in which digital technologies have enabled new types of interactions, experiences and collaborations across a range of platforms and media, profoundly shaping our socio-cultural landscapes. These discussions are grounded in classical sociological concepts; community, the self, gender, consumption, power and exclusion and inequality, to demonstrate the continuities that exist between sociological studies of 'real' world phenomena and their digital counterparts. Examining the various debates around methods in digital sociology in recent years, this book provides an accessible and engaging guide to using methodologies to study digital technology.
From the moment we wake up until we go to bed, many of us constantly use digital technologies. Our mobile phones have become our maps, banks, newspapers and entertainment consoles. What's more, they allow us to be constantly connected with the people in our lives. This book will equip you to analyse digital media in your own work. The book offers a broad guide to the various areas of our lives that are impacted by digital technology, from the virtual communities that we form on social media to the impact that digital technology has on our identity through a 'sociology of selfies'. With chapters on leisure, work, privacy and methods, this is an essential introduction for students in the areas of sociology, digital media, and cultural studies. Learning features include:
- Annotated further reading in every chapter
- Case studies that illustrate theory
- Learning objectives and questions throughout
- Historical and theoretical context in every chapter
Industry Reviews
This is a timely book packed with rich sociological insight into the shifting contours of digital culture & society. It covers an impressive range of topics without sacrificing depth, grounding analysis in core sociological concepts in a way that will be accessible for those unfamiliar with them. -- Mark Carrigan Packed with examples and well grounded in both classic sociological perspectives and the latest research on digital sociology, this accessible new book is a perfect primer for sociology students interesting in digital societies and cultures. -- Deborah Lupton Digital Culture and Society is a compelling book that introduces readers to pressing sociological issues and useful methods for researching them. Interspersed with contemporary examples and a wealth of digital history, it is a go-to book for digital researchers. -- Harry Dyer Smart and articulate, this work weaves together contemporary experiences with enduring, theoretically grounded questions about what it means to live in today's digitally mediated societies. Covering topics from platforms vernaculars to the self within contexts of inequality, this is a must read for digital researchers. -- Zoetanya Sujon This book offers a rich and engaging overview of both classic and contemporary sociological insights that will enable the reader to grasp the transformative roles that the digital has played in social life during the last decades. More than that, it will equip you to deploy these ideas, providing valuable advice and guidance on key themes, developments and methods along the way. -- Noortje Marres
