cultures of Emergent Digital Practices
EDPx2200
This course explores the many ways technology has shaped and been shaped by our various cultures, from the local to the global. The course offers in equal parts a history of emergent practices; a theory of how and why new technologies and practices continue to emerge; and an extrapolation of possible futures and trends for the continued imagining and unfolding of technologies and practices to come. This course provides an historical and theoretical foundation for critical thinking and creative ideas in the EDP major. Reading, writing, critical analysis, and synthesis of new ideas will be key components. No prerequisites. (4.000 Credit hours)
This class introduces digital media through a variety of disciplinary lenses and emerging conceptual practices. The class emphasizes critical work being done in media theory & cultural studies, art, pop culture, media anthropology, and science fiction studies. Class sessions will combine lectures, presentations, discussion, collaborations, and other activities.
PRIMARY TEXTS
(available in DU Bookstore)
1) Henry Jenkins, Convergence Culture (NYU 2008)
2) Hiroshi Yamamoto, The Stories of Ibis (Haikasoru 2010)
(additional readings from the following will be posted below as assigned)
- Erik Davis, Techgnosis: Myth, Magic + Mysticism in the Age of Information (Serpent's Tail 1998)
- Kodwo Eshun,
More Brilliant than the Sun: Adventures in Sonic Fiction (Quartet 1998)
- Lawrence Lessig, Free Culture (Penguin 2004)
- Douglas Rushkoff, Program or Be Programmed: Ten Commands for a Digital Age (Soft Skull 2011)
CALENDAR
Week 1
Tues, March 24: Course Introduction
Thur, March 26: technocultural anthropology / remixed cartoons
DUE BY START OF CLASS: technocultural antropology prompt (5 points)
Mike Wesch videos:
1) WATCH: “Web 2.0: The Machine Is Us/ing Us” (2007)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g
2) WATCH: “An anthropological introduction to YouTube” (2008)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPAO-lZ4_hU
DUE by end of class session: caption game (5 points)
Week 2
Tues, March 31: Convergence Culture & Remediation
(scaffolding critical research; asking questions; posing new directions)
DUE BY START OF CLASS: think-tank prompt 1 (5 points)
1) READ: Jenkins, Convergence Culture: Introduction (1-24)
2)
READ: Bolter & Grusin, Remediation: Introduction (2-19)
3)WATCH:
Henry Jenkins, TEDxNYED (03/06/10)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFCLKa0XRlw
Thur, April 02: Surrealist games / collage novels / found novel
(generative remediation)
DUE BY START OF CLASS: creative lab prompt 1
(5 points)
1) READ: Jenkins: Chapter 2 (59-92)
2) READ & COMPLETE EXERCISE: Remix The Book, Overview
http://www.remixthebook.com/the-course/collagereadymadescombines
Week 3
Tues, April 07: Resource Review 1
DUE: Resource Review 1 (10 points)
Thur, April 09: Situationist Détournement
DUE:
(5 points)
1)
READ: Jenkins:
Chapter 4 (131-168)
2) READ & COMPLETE EXERCISE: Remix The Book, Détournement
http://www.remixthebook.com/the-course/detournement-2
Week 4
Tues, April 14: Free Culture
DUE: (5 points)
1) READ: Lessig, "Piracy": Chapters 1-4 (15-61) (PDF on Canvas)
2) READ: Eshun, Ch. 2 (13-24), "Motion Capture" Interview (175-193) (PDF on Canvas)
3) LISTEN: [Version 1] Strictly Kev, "Raiding The 20th Century (A History of the Cut-Up)" (2004)
4) LISTEN: [Version 2] DJ Food, "Raiding the 20th Century (Words & Music Expansion)" (2005)
(Both Versions on Canvas)
Thur, April 16: Cut-Ups / Appropriation / Mashup / Remix
1) READ & COMPLETE EXERCISES: Remix The Book, Literary Cut-Ups, Appropriation, and Sound
http://www.remixthebook.com/the-course/cut-ups
http://www.remixthebook.com/the-course/appropriation
DUE: (10 points)
Week 5
Tues, April 21: Resource Review 2 / Speculation
DUE: Resource Review 2 (10 points)
1)
To the Best of Our Knowledge podcast: Possible Futures (July 14, 2013)
Thur, April 23: Speculative Synthesis / FanFiction
1) Jenkins: Chapter 5 (175-216)
2) Yamamoto: Prologue - Story 4 (9-151)
DUE: (10 points)
Week 6
Tues, April 28: Performance in Participatory Culture
DUE: (5 points)
1) Davis: Sections "The Mythinformation Age" (81-93) and "Dungeons & Digizens" (219-224)
2) Yamamoto: Intermission 5 - Story 6 (152-287)
3) Remix The Book, Sound & Live AV
http://www.remixthebook.com/the-course/sound
http://www.remixthebook.com/the-course/live-av
Thur, Aprit 30: Webspinna
DUE: Live Audiovisual "Webspinna" Mix (10 points)
Week 7
Tues, May 05: Posthumanism
DUE: (5 points)
Yamamoto: Intermission 7 - Epilogue (288-423)
Thur, May 07: Glitch
DUE: (5 points)
Week 8
Tues, May 12: defining the themes for the panels
Thur, May 14: defining the themes for the anthology
Week 9
Tues, May 19: refining the themes
DUE: (5 points)
Thur, May 21: refining the themes
DUE: (5 points)
Week 10
Tues, May 26: academic mini-conference 1-2
Thur, May 28: academic mini-conference 3
Final
Tues, June 02: final 2-3:50pm
Trace Reddell is a writer, artist and theorist exploring the interactions of sound and the cosmological imagination. Trace's live cinema performances and video works have screened at over thirty international venues including galleries and new media festivals in New York, London, Glasgow, Amsterdam, Berlin, Zurich, Sao Paolo, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Tehran. His net.art and audio projects have appeared regularly on the Web since 1999.