Introduction to Digital Humanities

Critical Platform Studies

Digital platforms such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter mediate our access to information on the web. This week's topic on Critical Platform Studies examines how platforms —and the corporate interests behind them— can shape social behaviors, erase histories, and reinforce oppression.  

Watch

Annotation #10

Herder, Janosik. “The Power of Platforms.” Public Seminar. (January 25, 2019). http://www.publicseminar.org/2019/01/the-power-of-platforms/. Hypothesis link.

Tiffert, Glenn D. “Peering down the Memory Hole: Censorship, Digitization, and the Fragility of Our Knowledge Base.” The American Historical Review 124, no. 2 (April 1, 2019): 550–68. Hypothesis link.
 

Assignment #10

Draw on the assigned readings and videos, and some outside research, to write a critical essay about a digital platform of your choosing. Your essay can be written in the form of a policy proposal, op-ed, interactive blog post, or creative work. When you present your essay to the class, be prepared to discuss your selected platform and form. How did your form help you communicate your ideas about the platform and engage your intended audience?

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