Courses / Modules / SSPC2002 Techno Harms: Discrimination, Conspiracy Theories and Extremism

Techno Harms: Discrimination, Conspiracy Theories and Extremism

When you'll study it: Semester 1
CATS points: 15
ECTS points: 7.5
Level: Level 5
Module lead: Ashton Kingdon
Academic year: 2025-26

Module overview

This module introduces you to the concept of ‘techno-harms’ from the disciplines of sociology, criminology, and social policy, with a particular focus on zemiology, to investigate the infliction and perpetuation of technologically induced social harms. The module will enable you to think critically about the ways in which racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, Anti-Gender politics, environmentalism, extremism, conspiracy theories, human trafficking, and border control manifest in cyberspace and how technologies can help accelerate and prevent the subsequent harms.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Outline and compare key theories and methodological approaches relating to technoharms
Explain what technoharms are and how they are made and developed by actors, institutions and ideas
Identify and explore complex social problems (such as inequalities, crime, and harm) and assess various contemporary examples;
Engage in the formation of interdisciplinary arguments across a variety of professional contexts in relation to the use of online spaces and fora
Evaluate the application of theories and approaches and use them to analyse real-life technoharms
Reflect on contemporary social sciences themes across a broad time frame
Critically analyse current policy and laws on technoharms as the basis for developing a feasible reform
Engage with a range of theoretical and empirical material to produce coherent and persuasive written arguments
Examine critically the impact of technology on the formation of discourses and group identities
Understand the evolution of technoharms and the role of legitimate actors in inflicting and perpetuating harm
Examine semiotic analysis tools used to reveal and evaluate underlying structures and deep-rooted problems

Learning and Teaching

Study time
Type	Hours
Wider reading or practice	65
Seminar	5
Lecture	15
Total study time	85

Assessment

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Essay	60%
Investigation Report	40%

Techno Harms: Discrimination, Conspiracy Theories and Extremism

Module overview

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Syllabus

Learning and Teaching

Assessment

Summative