Syllabus
Readings and Schedule
Requirements:
Students are responsible for a 20-25-page long seminar paper at the end of the semester, and will have the opportunity to present on the project during the final weeks. This should integrate key issues and debates encountered in the course, and bring them to bear on a research topic of your own selection.
A weekly reaction (min. 2 pages) to the reading/s should also be posted to your own Scalar site, with the link sent to me, by 9A Thursday mornings. We’ll start our own Scalar sites on the first day of class. Reactions should aim to identify arguments, common themes, oppositions, and issues worthy of further discussion, and extend insights, questions, and tensions that emerge. For these reactions, you’ll be asked to pick an everyday naturalcultural object, technology or artifact, and consider how the perspectives and methods being covered that week would lend themselves to that object’s analysis. Use of visuals are terrific, but don’t count towards length (and should not be used as filler for analysis). No incompletes or makeups will be assigned.
Reactions should identify arguments, common themes, oppositions, and issues worthy of further discussion, and should articulate Two Key Questions that extend insights and tensions that emerge from the texts. Use of visuals are terrific, but should not be used as filler or in place of analysis. No incompletes/makeups are assigned.
Once during the semester, you’ll assemble a visual presentation on a class reading that will be presented during class to help lead/kickoff discussion. Feel free to be as creative as you like here, and to draw in video, images, or sound-based material. A copy of this presentation should be emailed to me by 9A Thursday.
Finally, as a practice of collaborative design, for one date during the semester, you’ll be able to add 2-3 additional articles to our reading list.
Final Paper: 25% -- Due 12/8
Final Presentation: 15% -- Due 12/1
Weekly Reactions: 20%
Visual Presentation: 15%
Reading Selections: 15%
Participation: 10%
