#Feminism – Studying social media from a feminist perspective

#Feminism – Studying social media from a feminist perspective

Delivery institution

Gender Studies

Instructor(s):

Kaisu Hynnä-Granberg

Start date

6 October 2026

End date

17 November 2026

Study field

CHARM priority field

Study level

Study load, ECTS

5

Short description

In the digitalized culture, social media has become an important site of work, leisure, pleasure, politics, and activism. While social media has made media production more democratic allowing a range of marginalized identities to be seen and heard, platforms’ technological affordances affect how social media can be used. From a feminist perspective, social media with its numerous contradictions make up a fascinating arena of analysis. This course gives an overview to studying social media from a feminist perspective.

Full description

In the digitalized culture, social media has become an important site of work, leisure, pleasure, politics, and activism. While social media has made media production more democratic allowing a range of marginalized identities to be seen and heard, platforms’ technological affordances affect how social media can be used. From a feminist perspective, social media with its numerous contradictions make up a fascinating arena of analysis. This course gives an overview to studying social media from a feminist perspective. Students will become familiar with key discussions, theories, and concepts of scholarship on social media and learn how to apply these in their own small case studies.

The topics discussed on the course will range from the production of body positive selfies, to the role of emotions in social media activism, and the ethics of social media analysis. A special notice will be given to theories of corporeality and media users’ embodied investments to social media practices.
Please see here: https://studiehandboken.abo.fi/sv/kurs/GV00CV50/33157.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the learner will become familiar with the key theories and concepts that feminists have used to analyze social media. They can name methods applicable to social media analysis, and understand the ethical implications of studying social media content. Students will become comfortable with using the concept and viewpoints in their own case studies.

Course requirements

No previous knowledge is required.

Places available

7

Course literature (compulsory or recommended):

The course material will be available on Moodle.

Planned educational activities and teaching methods:

Online lectures, Moodle discussions, written assignments + a small case study submitted in the form of an essay or social media presentation (e.g., a podcast, blog post, vlog post).

Course code

GV00CV50

Language

Assessment method

Required activity and completed modules

Final certification

Transcript of records

Assessment date

17 November 2026

Modality

Learning management System in use

Moodle

Contact hours per week for the student:

1,5 hours

Specific regular weekly teaching day/time

Tuesdays 17.15-18.30, Finnish time (CET+1)

Time zone