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Course Description:
Much recent fiction, film and theory portray the Internet and the World Wide
Web. Sometimes cyberspace is depicted as a continuation of previous media
such as television, movies or telephone, but often it is envisioned as a new
frontier. This course will examine the ways in which virtual media is constructed.
We will read novels such as William Gibson's Neuromancer and Neal Stephenson's
Snow Crash, see films including Hackers and The Matrix,
and read media theory that considers the potential of the Internet from the
perspective of nation, race, class and gender. Our guiding questions will
include the following: In what ways are these narratives shaping collective
perceptions of the Internet? How have virtual technologies challenged experiences
of language, gender, community and identity? While students will be expected
to conduct research on the World Wide Web and participate in Internet discussions,
no previous Internet experience is necessary.
Texts:
Films:
Requirements:
Class Presentation:
You will be required to give a 10-15 minute presentation on one of the week's
readings. If more than one person signs up for a particular week, you can
each take a different reading or work together for a slightly longer presentation.
Short Paper:
A short paper will be due the week after your presentation to the class. This
approximately five page paper should present an argument based on the reading
you presented or class discussion.
Annotated Bibliography or Annotated Funding List:
By the middle of the term, you should hand in a five page annotated bibliography
that informs your final project, or an annotated funding list of places where
your project or your studies could get funding. I will provide more information
about this in an assignment sheet later in the semester.
Final Paper or Project:
A final paper, 12-15 pages long, is due on the last day of class. Another
option is to create a final Internet-based project with a 5-page written assessment
of the project. You should plan on discussing your topics with me after you
hand in your annotated bibliography or funding list.
Posts to the WebCT Forum:
A bulletin board has been created on WebCT to serve your class. The course
site is located at http://reach.ucf.edu:8900/webct/public/show_courses?916345039.
The course is listed as Lit 5937, Imagining the Internet (Enteen). We will
determine as a group how this forum shall be used.
Chat:
We will conduct part of one class in the chat rooms provided on the WebCT
class. Before this, you should become familiar with IRC/Chat rooms on your
own. The dates for this will be determined by class consensus.
Class Participation:
Class participation is essential for a successful seminar with so many members.
You should come to class prepared to discuss each week's readings. Drafting
discussion questions or listing issues of concern to you may help you prepare
for class discussion. Attendance is mandatory; no more than one class can
be missed.
Readings and assignments are to be completed by date indicated.
Week 1:
T 9/25 Introduction to course
Th 9/27 Gibson, Neuromancer 1-79
Week 2:
T 10/2 Meet in Library PC Lab
Prepare first response on a diskette and bring to class.
Dibell, "A Rape in Cyberspace or How an Evil Clown, a Haitian Trickster
Spirit, Two
Wizards, and a Cast of Dozens Turned a Database Into a Society"
Wilding, "Where is the Feminism in Cyberfeminism?"
Th 10/4 Lev Manovitch
Week 3:
T 10/9 Lev Manovitch
Th 10/11 Lev Manovitch
Jennicam
Week 4:
T 10/16 Heidegger, "The Question Concerning Technology"(copy)
Th 10/18 see Johnny Nmeumonic
Week 5:
T 10/23 Benedict, "Cyberspace: First Steps" (Cybercultures
29)
Hyptertext: http://www.feedmag.com/document/do291_master.html
and
http://www.idaspoetics.com.au/rice/riceheading.html
other place I like
discuss Johnny Nmeumonic
see The Matrix
Th 10/25 discuss The Matrix
McLuhan, from "The Medium is the Massage"(copy)
Short Essay Due
Week 6:
T 10/30 Plant, Zeros and Ones 5-102
Th 11/1 see Antitrust, discuss Antitrust
Eliza
Stone's homepage
Week 7:
T 11/6 Stephenson, Snow Crash 1-249
Th 11/8 Stephenson, Snow Crash 250-endT 11/13 Jaganathon
Week 8:
Mark America's Alt-x
Th 11/15 Wakeford, "Networking Women and Grrrls with Information"
(Cybercultures, 350)
Mitra, "Virtual Commonality" (Cybercultures, 676)
Week 9:
T 11/20 Black Women on the Net
Nakamura "Race in/for Cyberspace" (Cybercultures, 712)
Kali Tal
Th 11/22 No class
Week 10:
T 11/27 Discuss final paper/project topics
Th 11/29 Hopkinson, Midnight Robber 1-77
Week 11:
M 12/4—final projects due
W 12/5—class meets 3-5 PM to view final projects.
