NCSU Department of Communication COM327::Critical Analysis of Communication Media
Instructor: Dr. Adriana de Souza e Silva
| Week | Day | Topic | Readings due | Presentations | Assignments |
 0 |
Mon. 08.15
|
no class | |||
| Wed. 08.17
|
course overview | ||||
|
|
|||||
|
1 Interfaces as information supports |
Mon. 08.22 | What’s an interface? Interface layers. A brief history of the personal computer. Expanding the concept: typography, book, screeen.
| no reading due | Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| Wed. 08.24 | Information ages.
|
Michael Hobart and Zachary Schiffman, “Introduction: Information present and past” (pp. 1-8) | Weekly reflections (blog post) | ||
| 2 Information / Virtual |
Mon. 08.29 | Materiality vs. information. Descartes and the distinction between mind and body. Information theory and the concept of cybernetics.
|
N. Katherine Hayles, “Embodied virtuality: or how to put bodies back into the picture” (pp. 1-28) | Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| Wed. 08.31 | Virtual as simulations, possiblity. (hyperreality, Humberto Eco, 1:1 map – in class reading).
|
Adriana de Souza e Silva, "Defining the virtual: simulation, possibility, potentiality, non-place" (pp. 48-57) | Weekly reflections (blog post) | ||
| 3 |
Mon. 09.05 | no class: Holiday (Labor Day)
|
|||
| Wed. 09.07 | Guest lecture: Prof. Robert Schrag
|
Adriana de Souza e Silva, "Defining the virtual: simulation, possibility, potentiality, non-place" (pp. 68-80) | Weekly reflections (blog post) | ||
| 4 Modes of reading: Hypertexts, cybertexts, technotexts |
Mon. 09.12 | Virtual potentiality. Modes of reading: text to hypertext
|
Steven Johnson, "Links" (pp. 106-137) |
Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| Wed. 09.14 | Hypertexts and Cybertexts.
|
Espen Aarseth, “Introduction: ergodic literature” (pp. 1-23) |
Weekly reflections (blog post) | ||
|
|
|||||
| 5 Books and the printing press |
Mon. 09.19 | Scroll, papyrus vs. Codex, parchment. Information supports and book formats. | Alberto Manguel, "The shape of the book" (pp. 125-147).
|
Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| Wed. 09.21 | The printing press as an agent of change of cultural, religious, and scientific thought. | Paul Erickson, “Help or hindrance? The history of the book and electronic media” (pp. 95-116)
|
Weekly reflections (blog post) | ||
| 6 Railroad, traveling and imagination |
Mon. 09.26 | The future of the book. | N. Katherine Hayles, "Material Metaphors, Technotexts, and Media-Specific Analysis" (pp. 18-33).
|
Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| Wed. 09.28 | Re-newing old technologies.
|
Tom Gunning, “Re-newing old technologies: astonishment, second nature, and the uncanny in technology from the previous turn-of-the-century” (pp. 39-60).
|
Weekly reflections (blog post) | ||
| 7 Telephone/wireless radio |
Mon. 10.03 | Change in perception of space and time due to advanced communication and transportantion technologies. Railroad. (Trip to the moon)
|
Wolfgang Schilvelbusch, “Railroad space and railroad time” (pp. 33-44)
| Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| Wed. 10.05 | Origins of the telephone, radio, mobile radio and wireless telephony |
Abrahamson, Eric, “Hear me now: Competition, regulation and innovation in mobile telephony in the United States, 1945-1983
(pp. 1-27)
|
Weekly reflections (blog post) | ||
| 8 |
Mon. 10.10 | Final paper announcement. Research day.
|
| ||
| Wed. 10.12 | Presentation: Cyberdrama | Presentation 01: Cyberdrama, by Lindsey Shields, Robert Quesenbery and Sara Robertson | Weekly reflections (blog post)
|
||
|
|||||
| 9 Interfaces and databases |
Mon. 10.17 | Presentation: Ludology | Presentation 02: Ludology, by Jessica Branson, Tyler Helikson and Nikki Goldfarb
|
-- Topic proposal for final paper. Weekly reflections (blog post)
|
|
| Wed. 10.19 | databases | Lev Manovich, “The Forms”
(pp. 212-233)
|
Weekly reflections (blog post) |
||
| 10 Mobile technologies |
Mon. 10.24 | Presentation: Critical Simulation |
|
Presentation 03: Critical Simulation, by Lia Kotsopoulos, and Meredith Carter
|
Weekly reflections (blog post)
|
| Wed. 10.26 | Contextualizing cell phones as new media and new interfaces
|
Film: Denise calls up
|
Weekly reflections (blog post) | ||
| 11 Mobile technologies |
Mon. 10.31 | Mobile phone and the shift in interpersonal communication. Site-specific factors.
|
Dmitri Ragano, "Growing up in the age of Keitai"
|
|
Weekly reflections (blog post) |
| Wed. 11.02 | Presentation: Game Theories | Presentation 04: Game Theories, by Keitris Weathersbe, Quavonda Raiford, Brandi Hinnant and Kenneth Pittman | Weekly reflections (blog post)
-- Initial references list for final paper.
|
||
| 12 Play and gaming |
Mon. 11.07 | Presentation: Hypertexts & Interactives | Presentation 05: Hypertexts & Interactives, by Leah Rich, Mike O'Rourke and Jennifer Kepley
|
Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| Wed. 11.09 | Play and Game. | Frans Mayra, “Games and Storytelling: understanding games ” (online lecture + ppt slides)
|
Weekly reflections (blog post) | ||
| 13 Play and gaming |
Mon. 11.14 | Presentation: The pixel/The line | Presentation 06: The pixel/The Line, by Katie Buttcher, Meghan Woodall and Brandy Blackmon
|
Weekly reflections (blog post) -- paper outline |
|
| Wed. 11.16 | Mobile and pervasive games. | Film: The Game
|
Weekly reflections (blog post)
|
||
| 14 |
Mon. 11.21 | Presentation: Beyond Chat | Presentation 07: Beyond Chat, by Darjana Stojanovic, Barbara Orlay and Lauren Barry
|
Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| Wed. 11.23
|
Thanksgiving Holiday: no class | ||||
| 15 Media Art |
Mon. 11.28 | Presentation: New Readings | Presentation 08: New Readings, by Krystal Liner, Megan Justice and Daniel Grissom
|
Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| Wed. 11.30 | Art by telephone |
|
|||
| 16 Finals week |
Mon. 12.05 | Individual critique/help on work in progress on final paper.
|
|||
| Wed. 12.07 | Final paper due. | Final paper due. | Final paper due. | Final paper due. | |