Hind Serkouh

Digitalisation, Surveillance, and Societies is a dynamic and progressive master specialisation, incredibly contemporary to our society’s technological developments. I was drawn towards the specialisation thanks to the concrete examples that emerge in our seminars concerning how digital artifacts are impacting our identities, how they are shaping our relationships, and our seemingly mundane routines.

A cozy and familiar atmosphere

I thoroughly enjoy being part of a small cohort as it creates a cozy and familiar atmosphere that allows students and professors alike to engage in more lively discussions. Moreover, the international and interdisciplinary background of the students allows for multidimensional analyses brought forth by other students, which offers an insight on how digitalisation is engaged with both on a local level and on a global one.

Real world cases

The structure of the specialisation is cohesive and intentional; each module and assignment is purposeful and I do not feel as if I am being chased by deadlines. Additionally, we discuss real world cases, such as the role online forums played during the COVID-19 pandemic, the contentification of our lives for social media personas, and the ethical implications of having a camera on your doorbell. Professors, too, are significantly involved in class discussions and workshops, always eager to learn new perspectives and case studies for their personal projects!

Eye opening

Digitalisation, Surveillance & Societies has opened my eyes on how surveillance and technology echo in our lives in manners that we are too accustomed to notice. Moreover, this relatively young field is one that easily intersects with other spheres, such as sociology, business, Black studies, and postcolonial studies – granting us incredible opportunities for research as well as personal reflection.