In 2017, Couldry and Hepp wrote The Mediated Construction of Reality. They came up with a necessary new word that describes how the content and use of our smartphones bring about new social patterns which then change our social lives: “figuration”. A smartphone in your pocket (turned off) is a figuration. When you turn it on, you “configure” it, and it changes things. If it goes off while you are talking with your friend and you interrupt to answer it, you connect to “figurations of figurations” which can alter your friendship. Today, as schools in different states and countries begin to ban phone use during school hours, there are many questions about how the social lives of young people (and now older people as well) are being altered by all of these figures just a click away. Last month, Australia banned social media use for anyone under 16.

After a 20-minute presentation about the central ideas, we will discuss and share how our everyday lives are being affected by the “media ensemble” that we have chosen to incorporate into our lifestyles with family and friends. By naming the process and then sharing our experiences with it, a new awareness will help each of us navigate mediated reality in a better way. Join us for an in-depth learning experience.

Time: 2:00-3:00 pm EST

Free!

Registration