General information
| Course type | AMUPIE |
| Module title | Technocracy: Love, Ideology and Politics in Digital Times |
| Language | English |
| Module lecturer | dr Łukasz Dulęba |
| Lecturer's email | lduleba@amu.edu.pl |
| Lecturer position | |
| Faculty | Collegium Polonicum Słubice |
| Semester | 2025/2026 (winter) |
| Duration | 30 |
| ECTS | 3 |
| USOS code | 36-MODE-TLI-22 |
Timetable
Module aim (aims)
This course explores the concept of technocracy, examining the profound impact of technology on politics, power structures, and ideologies in contemporary society. We will delve into diverse topics such as technophilia (the love of artificial objects), the Californian Ideology, and the intricate intersection of technology with political power.
Throughout the course, we will analyze how various ideologies have shaped the design and direction of contemporary digital transformation. Students will gain insights into the complex relationships between technological advancements and societal changes.
A significant focus will be placed on discussing the political ideas underpinning modern digital tools, including cryptocurrencies and algorithms. We will critically examine how these technologies influence governance, economics, and social structures.
Learning objectives:
- analyze the concept of technocracy and its implications for modern governance and society
- evaluate the impact of technological advancements on political systems, power structures, and ideological frameworks
- critically examine the relationship between technology and politics, including the concept of the Californian Ideology and its influence on digital culture
- investigate the political ideas underlying modern digital tools such as cryptocurrencies and algorithms
Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)
Syllabus
Reading list
Barbrook, Richard; Cameron, Andy (1996). The Californian ideology. “Science as culture”, 6.1.
Bucher, Taina (2018). If...Then: Algorithmic Power and Politics, Oxford University Press
Golumbia, David (2016). The Politics of Bitcoin: Software as Right-Wing Extremism, University of Minnesota Press.
Danaher, John (2016). The Threat of Algocracy: Reality, Resistance and Accommodation, Philosophy & Technology, 2016, 29.3: 245-268.
Lehdonvirta, Vili (2024). Cloud Empires: How Digital Platforms Are Overtaking the State and How We Can Regain Control, MIT Press.
MacAskill, William (2022). What We Owe The Future, Oneworld.
Morozov, Evgeny (2013). To Save Everything, Click Here: The Folly of Technological Solutionism, PublicAffairs.
Slobodian, Quinn (2023). Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World Without Democracy, Penguin.
Srnicek, Nick; Williams, Alex (2015). Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work. Verso.
Zuboff, Shoshana (2020). The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power, PublicAffairs.