LIT 81EThe Influencers: How Social Media Shape Us
Social media influencers influence us. But who—or what—is influencing the influencers? This course pulls back the curtain on how social media platform design, surveillance capitalism, and algorithmic incentives have reshaped communication, identity, belief, and social conflict. It also examines how certain forms of content, like expressions of anger and outrage, proliferate in the social media-driven attention economy. Materials include critical texts, films, short fiction, and real-world case studies. (Formerly Social Media and Society.)
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- >>>> Social media influencers influence us. But who—or what—is influencing the influencers? This course examines how platform design, surveillance capitalism, and algorithmic incentives reshape communication, identity, belief, and social conflict. Materials include critical texts, films, short fiction, and real-world case studies.
Find a section and add it to your scheduleLive seat counts, time-conflict checks and the walk from your previous class.
When it runs
Spring 2026Open Spring 2026
| Section | Type | When | Where | Instructor | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Lecture | Tue 1:30pm–3:05pm | Online | D. Bell | Closed 100/100 |
Who teaches it
| Instructor | Rating | Difficulty | Would take again | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorian Bell | 3.6 / 5 | 3.1 / 5 | 67% | 12 |
From RateMyProfessors, which is student-submitted and not a survey. Small review counts move a long way on one bad quarter.
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