proposed course syllabus
3rd year sociology & anthropology
© anne galloway 2003
this work is governed under a creative commons license

 

    
   

social studies of
information & technology

course outline

schedule & readings

course assignments

seminar
weblog
presentation
paper

course themes

theoretical topography
code
information war
virtual bodies
digital cities

annotated bibliography

73 KB PDF

  

This course explores the social and cultural dimensions of information and technology. Students will critically engage a set of early and contemporary writings in social and cultural studies, architecture, science fiction and computer history. Required readings expose students to a diverse history of cyberspace scholarship, and provide a stage from which to explore their own interests. Lectures by the instructor (re)situate these readings in terms of broader sociological concerns and specific examples of emerging technologies and media.

required texts

Spiller, Neil (ed). 2002. Cyber_Reader: Critical writings for the digital era. London: Phaidon.

recommended texts

Lash, Scott. 2001. Critique of Information. London: Sage.

Lovink, Geert. 2002. Dark Fiber: Tracking Critical Internet Culture. Cambridge: MIT Press.

Manovich, Lev. 2002. The Language of New Media. Cambridge: MIT Press.

Rheingold, Howard. 2002. Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution. Cambridge: Perseus.

Shields, Rob. 2002. The Virtual. London: Routledge.

Urry, John. 2000. Sociology Beyond Societies: Mobilities for the Twenty-First Century. London: Routledge.