FDM 136c:
History of New Media
Instructor: Margaretha Haughwout
Syllabus: Spring 2014
Basics:
Class: Monday & Wednesday 1-2:45, Studio C
http://beforebefore.net/136c/s14/
Office: Communications 110
Office Hours: Weds 3:00p-4:00p (or by appt.)
Online Office Hours: TBA
Skype: mllebuffalo
Delicious:
http://www.delicious.com/margaretha/fdm136c
Email: margaretha dot anne dot haughwout at gmail dot com
Jana Bolotin:
email: jaboloti at ucsc dot edu
office: DANM Grad Lab
office hours: Tuesdays 1-2p
Course Description
This quarter we endeavor to understand how technological history gets written in the face of certain ideas of information and definitions of freedom: in what context, by whom, and in the service of what commercial interests or intellectual traditions (and at the expense of what bodies). This course is largely a study of the history of cybernetics in the 20th-century, the conditions and ideologies which made it possible and then embraced by military, hippies, mass culture. As we unpack these conditions and ideologies, we apply our critical skills to unveil how these ideologies persevere in the everyday objects, interfaces and interactions of our new media. The materials supporting our inquiry are films, science fiction novels, theoretical texts, and essays. Our work will materialize as image analyses, reflective memoirs, collaborative presentations, and other writings.
This Syllabus Is Subject To Change At Instructor's Discretion
Required Texts:
The following texts can be purchased at the Literary Guillotine in downtown Santa Cruz at 204 Locust Street:
- N. Katherin Hayles,
How We Became Posthuman; Virtual Bodies in Cybernetics, Literature, and Informatics
- Carolyn Marvin,
When Old Technologies Were New
- Lauren Rabinovitz, Abraham Geil (Editors)
Memory Bytes; History, Technology, and Digital Culture
Science Fiction Groups - groups of 5 read different sci fi and these groups present once throughout quarter (you will only buy one from this list):
- Group 1: Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
- Group 2: Time out of Joint, Philip K Dick
- Group 3: 1984, George Orwell
- Group 4: Ubik, Philip K Dick
- Group 5: Neuromancer, William Gibson
- Group 6: Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
- Group 7: Dispossessed, Ursula Leguin
- Group 8: Mockingjay, Susan Collins
- Group 9: Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
- Group 10: Snowcrash, Neal Stephenson
- Group 11: Blood Music, Greg Bear
- Group 12: Dawn, Octavia Butler
Course Requirements:
During class we will be viewing and discussing an array of visual and textual material. It is absolutely essential that you attend all lectures. Attendance will be taken during class. Also, be sure to inform your TA in advance if you know you will be unable to attend lectures for medical reasons, due to religious holiday observance, etc. Students who anticipate being absent from class due to religious observance should inform their TA by email previous to their absence. If you are absent from class, you are responsible for contacting a classmate for the information you missed. Three unexcused absences from class can result in failure of the course.
There will be one exam, a mid-term . The mid-term examination will cover everything up until the date of that examination. The exam may include short essay responses, comparisons, definitions. Makeup exams will not be offered.
Two pop quizzes will be given in regards to the reading at the end of the quarter in place of a final. 5 points each.
Students are required to complete 5 assignments.
A1: Science Fiction Presentation, 15 points
A2: Shot analysis, 10 points
A3. DANM MFA Show and write-up 5 points
A4: Operating System analysis, 10 points
A5: Essay, 25 points
A -- Excellent. Student exhibits exemplary conceptual and critical ability with assignments, exams and in class. Student demonstrates a close reading of the any required materials, and ability to successfully communicate ideas to others. All work is lucid and engaging.
B -- Good. Student completes assignments, and demonstrates a grasp of most of the main aspects of each lesson, but not all. Is able to communicate information and ideas well. In exams, critical analysis is present.
C -- Satisfactory. Student completes the assignment but may lack enthusiasm or drive to push the work into a detailed conceptual space. Student does not demonstrate knowledge of readings, lectures or other visual material. In exams, problems exist in student's work, or the work is underdeveloped.
D -- Unsatisfactory. Student does not complete the work as assigned. Substantial problems exist in student's work.
F -- Fail. Student does not submit work, or work is below unsatisfactory level.
Work is considered late if handed in or emailed after due date/time. 11:59pm is the default deadline time unless specified otherwise in the schedule. Late Assignments: Late work will NOT be accepted and missed exams will NOT be rescheduled. Your TA may, at her or his discretion, accept late work deducting a full letter grade for each day the assignment is late, including weekend days.
Save your work constantly! Assignments not completed because of lost work will not be excused.
Your final grade will be based upon the quality of your written assignments and presentation/s, your midterm and final exam scores, as well as your participation and attendance. See Course Requirements above for a point breakdown.
Laptops are to be used in lecture only for the purpose of taking notes or
participating in websites and demos presented in class. Laptops used for other purposes will lead to the
banning of laptops in class for specific students.
Use of cell phones and laptops for other purposes besides note taking in class significantly detracts your attention from class. For this reason, your TA may mark you absent should you be using your cell phone in class.
Cheating, plagiarism or fabrication will be dealt with in accordance to the University's policy as outlined in the Student Handbook. You are expected to be familiar with the University policy on dishonesty and disruption of the academic process. If you use outside sources in your work, you must attribute them.
Submitting someone else's work as if it were your own will be dealt with
severely. It will result in automatic failure for the course and possible expulsion from school.
We do not accept handwritten work for any assignment.
Use only 10 or 12 point type in Georgia, Times, Verdana.
Use 1.25-inch or smaller margins on the left and right, 1-inch margins on the top
and bottom.
Your name should appear on each page of your text.
All writings should have your typed name, date of submission and "FDM 136c
S14" on them.
If you do not know how to make format adjustments on your computer, then please seek assistance at one of the computer labs, or from your TA.
Check with your TA for accepted text filetypes.
Students will be required to submit assignments electronically to your TA. Assignment file names should begin with the assignment number, an underscore and the student's last name, another underscore, and then their first name:
A1_lastname_firstname.filetype
Netiquette, Noun: 1. The social code of network communication. 2. The social and moral code of the internet based on the human condition and Golden Rule of Netiquette. 3. A philosophy of effective internet communication that utilizes common conventions and norms as a guide for rules and standards.
Please visit:
http://voices.yahoo.com/10-best-rules-netiquette-1952570.html for some tips on appropriate email practices. In your subject header, indicate your course, and a couple of words about your question/comment -- ie:
subject: FDM 136c assignment question
Allow for a 48 hour response time from the professor (if it is urgent, please put URGENT in the subject header for quicker response time)