Technology, human and culture

Technology, Human and CultureThe final writing project extends the previous work with critical sources by asking you to provide a key text of your own that will extend and develop the course conversation. In preparation for this project, you should be familiar with using library resources such as JSTOR. The resulting project, the culminating work of the semester, will combine informed critical discussion (provided by the course texts thus far and the library research) and discussion of a cultural text of your own choosing. The cultural text could include films, websites, video games, or other elements of digital culture or technological change. This final project will be evaluated on its success in using writing to situate a reading of a cultural text within an established academic context. As a secondary component of this module, you will add at least 10 unique sources to our Course Bibliography and incorporate 5-10 sources in your essay.

Technology, human and culture

Learning Objectives

By the conclusion of this module, you should be able to:

1.Use the library sources to perform research for an academic project.
2.Identify a key text that will extend and develop the course conversation.
3.Write to situate a reading of a cultual text within an established academic context.
4.Develop, through drafting and revision, an academic essay that combines informed critical discussion (provided by the course texts thus far and the library research) and discussion of a cultural text of your own choosing.

Reading and Movie Assignments.
Read Donna Haraway essay. [Available in Library Resources.]
Watch (or re-watch) one of the following movies:
Ex Machina (2015)
Her (2013)
Robot & Frank (2012)
Robocop (1987 or 2013 version)
Wall-E (2008)
Trasncendence (2013)
another film (or possibly a game or other web environment) that you think works as an exploration of the “posthuman.”

I suggest you to watch Her (2013) and Robot & Frank (2012)

Technology, human and culture

After watching one or two movies from the list, provide an account of how the movie you watched speaks to some of the concerns raised in our reading and writing so far, including Donna Haraway’s “Crittercam” essay. Be sure that your response is linked in some direct way to terms and ideas that we have been discussing and reading about. Be as specific as you can about both the movie (citing specific moments, exact lines of dialogue, or images) and about the idea you are drawing on or exploring.

Here are some ideas that can be included in your essay:

Be specific about what new material you are introducing with this text and how it addresses concerns and concepts raised by our readings. What do we gain by examining your example? What does the introduction of this cultural text allow us to see that was not visible before?

How does your project advance our conversation and challenge readers or give them something to make use of? Be as specific as possible.

It might be useful to define a specific goal for the project and draw up a short list of “moves” you want to make in support of your thesis and arguments. Be explicit about what you aim to do here and what you see as the implications.

Remember, these are only some ideas that should only be in a small part of your essay as this is the final essay for this course. You may not want to follow these if you have other ideas. Your contexts should be holistic, analytic and well-organized.

Technology, human and culture

Evaluation
The project will be evaluated on its success in establishing a dynamic relationship with the texts and its thoughtful consideration of the implication of this work. Strong essays will provide extended analysis of the texts in question and will put these terms (and examples) to use in a new context. As in all academic writing, the most important factor in this assignment is the contribution your essay makes to our ongoing conversation.
Rhetorical Considerations

Technology, human and culture
With this essay, a new complexity has been introduced. Even more than in your previous essays, you will need to select and present aspects of the reading that you wish to discuss. With so much to choose from, you will need to be clear about what aspect of the topic you are discussing and why it matters to your reader. Use writing features such as a stable, defined critical vocabulary; a strong title; powerful examples or demonstrations; section headings; images or diagrams where necessary; and, always, attention to the needs of your audience.
Remember that in writing you are always trying to convince the reader of both the validity of your argument and in your intellectual ability to make the argument. Have a strong thesis, have a specific example to support your point, no filler, no repeating the question. Clear and strong writing. What I will be looking for in these papers is YOUR level of engagement with the readings and the reality.