<aside> ℹ️ While popular discourses often describe digital, immaterial, and creative labors as disembodied, this assignment focuses on the bodies and machines necessary for the labor of original content creation for online distribution.

You will explore the embodied labor of online content creation and performance by constructing a specific persona that is legible to the conventions of YouTube, a podcast, Instagram, or TikTok. While you are not expected to become famous, the process of imagining an entire YouTube channel, Instagram profile, or TikTok account and creating sample content for it will enable you to write a critical reflection that draws on the class readings on embodiment and digital media to analyze your own experiences engaging in this labor.

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Overview

For your final project, you will fully execute the digital channel concept developed during your midterm. This channel will feature content based on the key themes of alienation in digital media, informed by class readings and your peer interviews throughout the semester. You’ll also write a reflection essay to critique the process and theories we’ve been discussing all semester.

Objectives

• To actively manage and curate a digital channel that presents your research findings.
• To engage an audience with informative content that stimulates discussion on the political economy of digital media and the concept of alienation.
• To critically reflect on your content creation experience, the feedback received, and the integration of theoretical insights.

Assignment Details

Part I: Channel Launch and Content Publication

Launch your digital channel and produce a series of posts:

1. Podcast: Create at least 3 episodes, each 10 minutes long
2. TikTok/Reels: Publish at least 5 videos, each 1-2 minutes long
3. YouTube: Produce at least 3 videos, each 5-7 minutes long

Part II: Comprehensive Analysis and Reflection (1500-2000 words)

1. Content Analysis: Evaluate the effectiveness of your content based on in-class peer reviews. How did your posts connect with an audience and what was most valuable to them?
2. Reflective Essay: Reflect on the entire process of creating and managing your digital channel. Discuss the insights gained from the project, including how your understanding of political economy has evolved and how the theories discussed in class were applied in your content. Cite four sources from class, including Marx’s Capital. Be sure to bring up theory early in your essay and use it explain your observations. A key part of this reflective essay is to critique our readings as well - and expand or disprove them where needed.

Grading Rubric for Final

• Content Quantity and Quality (10%): Adherence to the content requirements, creativity, informational value, and presentation quality.
• Working with theory & interviews (40%): How did you work with the readings and your interviews this semester? How did you confirm, build on, or discard the theory we’ve been working on as you built your project and conducted interviews. You’ve now done quite a bit of participant observation! It’s time to show it off.