The Digital Age

Our individual and collective lives play out within an entwined, complex web of relationships. These, whether we know and acknowledge it or not, exert influence on how we live. As humans, we like to think that we have autonomy, but could that be questioned?#

The Digital Age is advaya’s newest live & interactive online course. It takes a critical and in-depth look at where we find ourselves to better understand the lines along which power is operating in this age. Demystify who and what controls us, and explore the throughlines between the worlds of agriculture, healthcare, finance, technology, in the context of colonialism and capitalism.

Unravel the story that it’s all connected, that these worlds all follow the same logic of power and control. Let’s open up paths towards reclaiming our personal and communal agency together.

Taught by some of the world’s leading pioneers, activists and educators—many of whom have played a vital role in changing laws, transforming systems and creating meaningful impact across generations—this course will take you on a journey of critical learning. Together, we’ll map out the leverage points within our current systems of power, and explore the practical and personal ways in which we can join our efforts to create a more flourishing future for all.

Explore more and register at https://www.digitalage-course.com/

Course Format#

The Digital Age is a 6-week course with sessions taking place every week: Mondays, 10 April to 15 May 2023, 5–7pm UK (BST). Sessions happen on Zoom. Organised by advaya and curated & hosted by Nathalie Nahai.

Weekly sessions will consist of guest lectures, guests’ dialogue, and Q&A sessions. All sessions are recorded for you to catch up if you miss them live. The course presents a unique, curated lineup of teachers.

Each week will be accompanied by optional readings, practices and resources for you to deepen the work at home. Learning will be accompanied by community discussion, and participants are encouraged to engage in between live sessions via a dedicated Discord forum.

About the Course#

This course will take you on a journey of critical learning. Together, we’ll map out the leverage points within our current systems of power, and explore the practical and personal ways in which we can join our efforts to create a more flourishing future for all.

Course breakdown:
WEEK 1. CHARTING THE THROUGHLINES OF POWER: AGRICULTURE, HEALTHCARE, FINANCE AND TECHNOLOGY
WEEK 2. MONEY MATTERS: DEMYSTIFYING SYSTEMS OF FINANCIAL CONTROL
WEEK 3. BIG DATA IS WATCHING: PIXELS, POWER AND POLITICS
WEEK 4. WHO AM I?: SOVEREIGNTY IN THE DIGITAL AGE
WEEK 5. BEYOND THE BINARY CODE: REBUILDING THE COMMONS
WEEK 6. TOWARDS A FLOURISHING FUTURE: REIMAGINING HUMANITY, BODY AND MYTH

Course Objectives#

• Learn how to reclaim your agency and build community resilience in the face of globalised systems
• Identify key pressure points where we can leverage our power and create conditions in which regenerative systems can thrive
• Uncover the technological dynamics shaping our political landscape and learn how to navigate and thrive in the digital revolution
• Demystify the systems of power in the context of big ag, big pharma, big finance, philanthropy, and more
• Understand the story of wealth (and thus power) accumulation thus far, and in the digital age
• Explore how we can wrest back power and control from the hands of corporate interest and create a more life-affirming future for all
• Reimagine infrastructure, myths, personhood and relationships towards flourishing futures

About Nathalie Nahai#

Nathalie Nahai is an author, keynote speaker and host of The Hive Podcast, a series that enquires into our relationship with one another, with technology and with the living world. With a diverse background in human behaviour, persuasive tech and the arts, Nathalie brings a unique vantage point from which to examine the complex challenges we face today.

Her best-selling book: Webs Of Influence: The Psychology of Online Persuasion has been adopted as the go-to manual by business leaders and universities alike, and her new book, Business Unusual: Values, Uncertainty and the Psychology of Brand Resilience, has been described as “One of the defining business books of our times”. A consultant and facilitator to Fortune 500 companies, Nathalie also serves as a behavioural science advisor and helps organisations to ethically apply behavioural science principles to enhance their business. Having lectured at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, Nathalie’s ability to ignite conversation and offer tools and strategies with which to harness human potential, has helped countless organisations transform how they approach business online, with clients including Google, Accenture, Unilever and Harvard Business Review, among others.

Find out more about Nathalie here.