OLLI Course

I was recently accepted to teach a course this at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UMass Boston this fall. My course, titled "How the Internet has Changed Political Participation in China," will run one night a week for six weeks.

Through my course I hope to allow students to delve deeply into the statistics and activism that is taking root on the Chinese internet. My research on the HFS will strongly influence this course. I intend to contribute three of the courses to examining case studies of HFS events and instances that will be discussed at length. I hope to discuss these cases in terms of anonymity on the internet, online activism, the Chinese government's response, as well as comparing these issues with the American internet in discussing if events of this caliber can occur with a different setting.

"How the Internet has Changed Political Participation in China"
Description: As social media networks continue to become commonplace and present in our digital lives, a metaphoric public square has been created where political participation and discourse flourishes online. In China, a nation with more internet users than the total population of the U.S., the internet is becoming a hotbed for political participation and online witch hunts that are fueled by the Chinese internet's sheer numbers. As the internet continues to expand in China, the Communist Party is aiming to hold users accountable for their online content. But who really controls the power on the Chinese internet? In this course, we will look at internet statistics, political movements, and case studies, allowing students to question the internet's role as China, and the world, moves deeper into the digital age.

OLLI website: here.

OLLI's mission statement:
OLLI's mission is to foster accessible lifelong learning, individual growth, and social connection for mature learners age 50+ by providing stimulating opportunities to enrich the intellectual, social, and cultural lives of members, regardless of educational background.