Introduction to Digital Civics 2017

This is the archived page for the 2017 course on Research Methods for Digital Civics.

Digital Civics is an emerging field of research that draws on a number of disciplinary perspectives including the social and political sciences, design, and computing- especially human-centred computing. This module will provide an introduction to digital civics by exploring some key topics from these various perspectives. Topics include the relationship between citizens and the state, democracy and participation, social innovation and new models of service provision, and the role of design and digital technology in these. We will be exploring these issues through seminar discussions and self-organised activities and through case studies of projects and technology deployments in real-world contexts. We will also be exploring the challenges of doing digital civics research through peer-led discussions, and activities in the city. The aim is to get a critical insight into digital civics that will inform the design and planning of your own project. In addition, the module will explore models of engagement, co-production and innovation that underpin such digital civics research.