GV3RC: Remote Control

Module code: GV3RC

Module provider: Geography and Environmental Science; School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science

Credits: 20

Level: 6

When you’ll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Anna Jackman , email: a.h.jackman@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 29 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

From drones in the battlefield to robots in public space, technologies are increasingly part of contemporary warfare and everyday life alike. This module explores the advent, role and impacts of remote, robotic and digital technologies on the spaces and geographies of contemporary warfare and everyday life. It draws attention to both the spaces of the battlefield and urban, and to the actors – both human (from warfighters to civilians, policy-makers to citizens) and non-human (from drones and missiles, to robots and screens) that enable, advocate and resist the rise of remote control technologies. In so doing, it introduces, examines, and critically engages timely and policy-relevant themes (from ethics to changing labour, automation to autonomy), while introducing and engaging with political, digital and military geographies.

The module aims to:

• To introduce students to geographical discussions and debates around contemporary technologies, warfare, and urban life;
• To explore the uneven and contested spatialities and geographies accompanying the advent and rise of remote control technologies;
• To examine key public and policy relevant issues surrounding the growth and rising adoption of remote, robotic and digital technologies.  

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Be introduced to political, digital and military geographies literatures, as applied to the context of remote, robotic and digital technologies
2. Identify and examine the diverse spaces (from battlefields to urban centres), scales (from international conflict to the home), and actors (both human and non-human) that enable, resist and contest the growing mobilisation of remote control technologies
3. Develop an appreciation of the distinct, uneven and contested spatialities, practices and experiences of remote warfare.
4. Reflect on the advent and imaginations of remote control technologies in non-battlefield spaces and applications. 

Module content

The module will be designed and delivered around three blocks of material: (1) contemporary warfare, (2) everyday life, and (3) futures, as each is/ may be (re)shaped by the growth of remote, robotic and digital technologies. After a session introducing both the module structure/format and outlining the module’s approach to exploring technology (futures), the first block of materials will explore contemporary warfare in the drone age, introducing both the practices and actors (humans and non-humans) that enable, experience, contest and resist the remote warfare. The module will then turn to explore contemporary everyday life as it is impacted through the growth of remote, robotic and digital technologies. Through case studies such as emergency service, commerce, drone journalism and activism, the module highlights timely policy and public facing issues while raising geographical questions around scale, airspace governance, and labour. The module will close with a reflection on both emerging and potential futures, and ways in which we might imagine or practice the ‘remote’ otherwise.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Students will be taught through a mixture of lectures and seminars. The lectures will include interactive elements (e.g. class polls, word clouds, think-pair-share exercises etc), and the seminars will be based around applying the lecture materials to specific case study examples through group work exercises. 

Study hours

At least 25 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Level 3 (i.e. foundation modules for Part 0) and Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs