Misinformation, disinformation, and other forms of digital deception have become central concerns in both academic inquiry and public debate. News outlets regularly spotlight incidents of disinformation; political actors accuse each other of spreading falsehoods; and regulatory initiatives often cite the threat of digital disinformation to justify increased oversight of communication environments. However, effective regulation requires a careful balance between mitigating these threats and safeguarding democratic freedoms.
Addressing this challenge demands an empirically grounded understanding of the reach, effects, and mechanisms of digital disinformation. The social sciences play a vital role in developing concepts and methods to reliably identify, measure, and analyze these phenomena.
This course equips students with a robust conceptual toolkit to critically engage with core issues surrounding misinformation, disinformation, and digital fakery. Through structured readings, presentations, and guided research projects, students will explore the actors, strategies, and effects associated with digital disinformation and develop their own research inquiries in the field.
For a comprehensive outline of weekly topics and assigned readings, please refer to the full syllabus here.