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  1. Graduate School
  2. Department of Social Services
  3. Master of Arts (MA) in Social Work
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  5. Digital Social Work Futurism and Transhumanism
  6. Description
  • Description
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Last Updated: 09/10/2026

Code - Course Title Course Type Laboratory + Practice ECTS
SHZ509 - Digital Social Work Futurism and Transhumanism I. SEMESTER 3 +0 6.0
Language of Instruction Türkçe
Course Type Elective Courses
Course Instructor(s) DOÇ. DR. TAHİR EMRE GENCER
Mode of Delivery The mode of delivery of this course is face to face.
Place of Delivery On Campus
Used Educational Platforms Face-to-face
Prerequisites There is no prerequisite or co-requisite for this course.
Courses Recomended There is no recommended optional programme component for this course.
Recommended Resources [1] Fukuyama, M. (2018). Society 5.0: Aiming for a new human-centered society. Japan Spotlight, 27(1), 47-50.[2] Gencer, T. E., & Aktan, M. C. (2021). Dijitalleşen çağda ve toplumda değişen ihtiyaçlar ve sorunlar: e-sosyal hizmet (sosyal hizmet 2.0) gereksinimi. Toplum ve Sosyal Hizmet, 32(3), 1143–1175.[3] Räisänen, S. (2024). Machinic, inadequate, entrepreneurial: Uncovering the citizen subject of the human-centric welfare state. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 27(6), 1211-1232.[4] Giuliodori, L., Uliumdzhieva, V., Notina, E., & Bykova, I. (2020). Thinking beyond, living beyond: Futurism. Wisdom, 15(2), 176-187.[5] Güzel, B. (2021). Sosyal hizmette fütürizm: Transhümanizm, insan hayatının oyunlaştırılması, homo roboticus ve bakım. Toplum ve Sosyal Hizmet, 32(2), 591–606.[6] Reamer, F. G. (2013). Social work in a digital age: Ethical and risk management challenges. Social Work, 58(2), 163–172.[7] López-Peláez, A., Vávrová, S. K., Gojová, A., Erro-Garcés, A., & Valentín, R. A. (2024). Digital social work. International Social Work.[8] Nordesjö, K., Scaramuzzino, G., & Ulmestig, R. (2021). The social worker–client relationship in the digital era: A configurative literature review. European Journal of Social Work, 25(2), 226–241.[9] Zhu, H., & Andersen, S. T. (2022). Digital competence in social work practice and education: Experiences from Norway. Nordic Social Work Research, 12(5), 823–838.[10] Kardaş, S. (2018). Dijital sosyoloji ya da yeni toplumsallıklar [Yayımlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Mardin Artuklu Üniversitesi.[11] Klik, E. (2024). Ephemeral design: Platform capitalism and the making of a feature. New Media & Society, 26(12), 7195-7211.[12] National Association of Social Workers, Association of Social Work Boards, Council on Social Work Education, & Clinical Social Work Association. (2017). NASW, ASWB, CSWE, & CSWA standards for technology in social work practice. NASW.[13] Reamer, F. G. (2019). Social work education in a digital world: Technology standards for education and practice. Journal of Social Work Education, 55(3), 420-432.[14] Possamai, A., & Gower, R. (2025). Digital exorcism and morality. Journal of Sociology, 61(2), 308-320.[15] Cree, V. E., & MacKenzie, R. (2023). Forming a new and unexpected relationship through digital technologies: Lessons for child and family social work. Adoption & Fostering, 47(3), 312–325.[16] Pink, S., Ferguson, H., & Kelly, L. (2022). Digital social work: Conceptualising a hybrid anticipatory practice. Qualitative Social Work, 21(2), 413-430.[17] Corballis, T., & Soar, M. (2022). Utopia of abstraction: Digital organizations and the promise of sovereignty. Big Data & Society, 9(1), 1-12.[18] Storer, H. L., Scott, C. F., Eggleston, M., Shulruff, T., & Rodriguez, M. Y. (2023). Reimagining social work’s digital future: The critical role of interdisciplinary tech partnerships. Journal of Social Work Education, 59(sup1), S105–S120.[19] Murray, S. (2021). Secret agents: Algorithmic culture, Goodreads and datafication of the contemporary book world. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 24(4), 970-989.[20] Steiner, O. (2021). Social work in the digital era: Theoretical, ethical and practical considerations. British Journal of Social Work, 51(8), 3358–3374.[21] Bennett, W. L., & Kneuer, M. (2024). Communication and democratic erosion: The rise of illiberal public spheres. European Journal of Communication, 39(2), 177-196.[22] Fischer, R., & Jarren, O. (2024). The platformization of the public sphere and its challenge to democracy. Philosophy and Social Criticism, 50(1), 200-215.[23] Heinsch, M., Cliff, K., Tickner, C., & Betts, D. (2023). Social work virtual: Preparing social work students for a digital future. Social Work Education.[24] Li, J. C. M., Reamer, F. G., Manning, M., & Jia, C. X. (2023). Social work research and practice in the digital age. China Journal of Social Work, 16(2), 117-120.[25] Uysal, M., & Köroğlu, M. A. (2024). Siber suçlarla mücadelede sosyal hizmet. Bilgi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 26(1), 1-22.[26] Cheung, J. C.-S., Ho, S. C.-Y., & Yau, C.-Y. (2025). Social work in the era of Web 3.0. Journal of Social Work, 25(3), 418-423.[27] Burgis, S. (2025). ‘Magic moments’: AI and the ‘disappearance’ of social work ethics?. The British Journal of Social Work, 56(1), 377–395.[28] Cavlak, S., Bolgün, C., & Uçan, G. (2026). Digitalisation in social work practice: potentials and limitations from the Turkish context. Journal of Social Work Practice, 40(2), 211-227.[29] Poray, H. (2026). Gerçek(siz)liğin çevrimindeki yaşamlar: Sanallaşan toplum ve uçtan uca tasarlanan kültürün çıkmazlarına yönelik nitel bir değerlendirme (Tez No. 1020519) [Yüksek lisans tezi, Anadolu Üniversitesi]. YÖK Ulusal Tez Merkezi.[30] Bayır Altınışık, S. (2026). Dijital feminizm bağlamında çevrim içi kadın olmak (Tez No. 993264) [Yüksek lisans tezi, Anadolu Üniversitesi]. YÖK Ulusal Tez Merkezi.
Work Placement Not applicable.
Aims of the Course This course aims to critically examine the multidimensional transformations created by digitalization, artificial intelligence, datafication, and technological advancements at the individual, family, group, community, and societal levels (micro, mezo, and macro perspectives) around concepts such as e-social work, cybersecurity, digital divide, algorithmic bias, and surveillance capitalism. The course blends future-oriented movements such as futurism and transhumanism with the principles of human rights, social justice, emancipatory social work, and indigenous knowledge. It aims to enable students to develop proactive intervention strategies for new vulnerabilities brought by the digital society, acquire critical technology literacy, and construct ethical, holistic, and rights-based digital social work practices through interactive case analyses supported by creative drama/role-playing techniques.

Weeks Learning Outcomes Topics Teaching Methods
Week - 1 LO-1 LO-5 Introduction to Course: Course goals, syllabus, and interactive methodology. Creative drama warm-up workshop on "Digital Identities and Technological Expectations". Lecture Discussion Case Study Role Playing/Dramatization Critique/Critical Reading Research and Inquiry
Week - 2 LO-1 LO-5 Digital Society: Generations and "Society 5.0" Model: Industry 5.0, Super Smart Society, datafied human. Role-playing reenactment on Datafied Human vs. Algorithm Lecture Discussion Case Study Brain Storming Role Playing/Dramatization Critique/Critical Reading Document/Text/Data Analysis
Week - 3 LO-1 LO-2 LO-5 Digital Transformation and Digital Divide: Digital vulnerability, technology access inequalities, digital divide. Creative drama image theatre on "Access Barriers and Exclusion". Lecture Discussion Brain Storming Critique/Critical Reading Document/Text/Data Analysis
Week - 4 LO-3 LO-5 AI, Virtual Reality and Ethical Foundations: Online informed consent, power asymmetries, tech standards. Ethics Decision-Making in Virtual Reality Cases. Question & Answer Discussion Case Study Brain Storming Critique/Critical Reading
Week - 5 LO-2 LO-5 Algorithmic Decision-Making and Bias: Social Justice: Predictive analytics, algorithmic bias, black box risk. Lecture Discussion Case Study Brain Storming Critique/Critical Reading Document/Text/Data Analysis
Week - 6 LO-3 LO-6 Technological developments, innovation and e-social work Discussion Brain Storming Critique/Critical Reading Document/Text/Data Analysis
Week - 7 LO-3 LO-5 E-Social Work (Social Work 2.0) and Hybrid Practices: Virtual/hybrid social work, anticipatory practice, online therapeutic alliance. Lecture Question & Answer Discussion Brain Storming Research and Inquiry Document/Text/Data Analysis
Week - 8 LO-1 LO-2 LO-3 LO-4 LO-5 LO-6 Midterm Exams Question & Answer Problem Solving Practice/Practical Work/Workshop Research and Inquiry Document/Text/Data Analysis
Week - 9 LO-2 LO-5 LO-6 Technology Addiction, New Generations and Cyberbullying: i-Gen, cyberbullying, surveillance capitalism, privacy paradox. Cyberbullying and Peer Pressure Question & Answer Discussion Brain Storming Critique/Critical Reading Research and Inquiry Document/Text/Data Analysis
Week - 10 LO-2 LO-3 LO-5 Cybersecurity, Privacy and Online Boundaries: Online stalking/surveillance, data protection, risk management. Drama Analysis on Digital Privacy Violation Cases. Observation Discussion Role Playing/Dramatization Critique/Critical Reading Document/Text/Data Analysis
Week - 11 LO-2 LO-6 Digital Citizenship, Rights and Public Sphere: Platformization, attention economy, echo chambers, disinformation. "Echo Chamber and Disinformation", Debate . Lecture Question & Answer Discussion Case Study Brain Storming Critique/Critical Reading Research and Inquiry Document/Text/Data Analysis
Week - 12 LO-5 LO-6 Futurism in Social Work and Future Skills: Futurism on mechanization and digitization, proactive practice. "Social Worker of the Future" Lecture Question & Answer Discussion Case Study Brain Storming Critique/Critical Reading Document/Text/Data Analysis
Week - 13 LO-2 LO-4 LO-5 Transhumanism: Augmented Human and Social Justice: Future human models, trauma-informed computing, Web 3.0, Metaverse. "Augmented Human and Ethical Dilemmas". Lecture Question & Answer Discussion Problem Solving Brain Storming Critique/Critical Reading Research and Inquiry Document/Text/Data Analysis
Week - 14 LO-1 LO-2 LO-3 LO-4 LO-5 LO-6 Semester Assessment and Assignment Presentations: Digital Social Work Drama/Case Scenarios and Assignment Presentations. Lecture Observation Question & Answer Discussion Problem Solving Brain Storming Proje Design/Management Critique/Critical Reading Practice/Practical Work/Workshop Research and Inquiry Document/Text/Data Analysis

  • Health and Quality of Life Quality Education Gender Equality Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure Reducing Inequalities Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  • Entrepreneurship Law, Ethics and Regulations Communication Technologies and the IoT Media, Design and Creative Arts Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics Health Sciences and Medical Technologies Cyber Security and Cryptography Society, Law and Communication Data Science Artificial Intelligence Software, Cloud and Blockchain Innovation Skills

  • Open-Ended Test Performance Assessment (Individual/Panel-Based) Homework Take Home Exam

Assessment Method and Passing Requirements
Quamtity Percentage (%)
1.Midterm Exam 1 25
Final Exam 1 50
Homework 1 25
Toplam (%) 100

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