SOC 320—Sociological Rhythms of Algorithms

This course explores how artificial intelligence (AI) has shaped social systems and vice versa. We will explore the politics embedded in algorithms as technological objects, beginning with the historical development of AI and then exploring its impacts across social and geographical domains. This course starts with foundational concepts in the Sociology of Knowledge and Technology (SKAT), and you will also learn the fundamentals of how AI is constructed. We will begin with early cybernetic models and then explore the complexities and simplicities of current machine-learning algorithms. You will apply sociological frameworks to critically examine the political and social processes embedded in AI.