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WiSe 14/15: Social Media, Global Change and Women

Carola Richter

Kommentar

This seminar is a joined course with students from Cairo University in Egypt. Teaming up virtually with these students, you will experience how differently societies utilize social media due to the respective social and political circumstances.

Following the Arab Spring and other protest movements around the world, catchwords such as "Facebook revolution" or "Twitter revolution" have gained popularity. Although these terms seem to overemphasize social media effects, tools such as Facebook, Twitter or YouTube are increasingly used in journalism, political and social campaigns, marketing, fundraising and education, as well. How effective a tool can they be, in fostering change, locally as well as globally?

In order to answer this question, students will make use of social media to push forward their own campaign regarding a both globally and locally relevant issue. The suggested theme to work on is sexual harassment.
After embedding the theme in the broader context of Gender Media studies, we will focus on the topic of sexual harassment and its (legal, social and media) treatment in the German vs. the Egyptian society in order to explore the international and intercultural differences and commonalities and relevance of the issue.
Starting from an assessment of already existing online and social media campaigns on various forms of sexual harassment (e.g. #aufschrei in Germany vs. Harassmap in Egypt), the students will then be responsible for planning and carrying out a campaign with a concrete focus on their university and fellow students using both interpersonal and internet tools. Flyers, social events, internet forums, posters and producing audio plus video materials will be some options to choose.

While during the first months, students from Berlin and Cairo will mix up in intercultural working groups, the Berlin students will also participate in a "Winter School on Social Media and Teaching" in December where they will finally meet group leaders from Egypt personally to further work on their campaigns but also to discuss and present their experiences.

In order to take part in this seminar, you will have to 1) be there in the first session, 2) take part in carrying out the campaign (willingness to use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc.), 3) take part in the Winter school (11.-14.12.2014). Schließen