Technology and Culture

Calendar

SES #	TOPICS	KEY DATES
Introductory Themes
1	Introduction
2	Theories of Technology and Culture Film Excerpt from The Matrix. Directed by the Wachowski Brothers. Color, 136 min. 1999.
Theme 1: Identity
3	Labor-Saving Technology and the Worth of Workers Film Excerpt from Modern Times. Directed by Charlie Chaplin. Black and White, 87 min. 1936.
4	Technologies of Reproduction and Family Film Excerpt from Made in India. Directed by Rebecca Haimowitz and Vaishali Sinha. Color, 95 min. 2010.
5	Medical Experimentation, Race, and Globalization Films The Deadly Deception. NOVA. Directed by Denisce DiAnni. Color, 56 min. 1993. Excerpt from The Constant Gardener. Directed by Fernando Meirelles. Color, 129 min. 1995.
6	Food: If We Are What We Eat, What Are We?
7	Wearables and Self-Tracking Guest lecturer: Natasha Dow Schüll, Associate Professor of Science, Technology, and Society, MIT	Identity paper due
Theme 2: Infrastructure
8	Automobility Guest lecturer: Renée Blackburn, graduate student, doctoral program in History, Anthropology, Science, and Society, MIT Films Excerpts from: Thelma & Louise. Directed by Ridley Scott. Color, 130 min. 1991. Speed. Directed by Jan de Bont. Color, 116 min. 1994. Minority Report. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Color, 145 min. 2002.
9	Electricity and Markets Guest lecturer: Canay Özden-Schilling, teaching assistant and graduate student, doctoral program in History, Anthropology, Science, and Society, MIT
10	Ocean Infrastructures Film Excerpt from Lost at Sea: The Search for Longitude. NOVA. Directed by Peter Jones. Color, 57 min. 1998.
11	Computers, Networked, Then and Now Films Excerpts from: War Games. Directed by John Badham. Color, 114 min. 1983. Tron. Directed by Steven Lisberger. Color, 96 min. 1982. Terra Blight. Directed by Isaac Brown. Color, 55 min. 2012.
12	Disorienting Infrastructures: Underground and Outer Space Films Excerpts from: Moebius. Directed by Gustavo Mosquera. Color, 88 min. 1996. Gravity. Directed by Alfonso Cuarón. Color, 91 min. 2013.
13	Technological Disasters Films Excerpts from: Half Life. Directed by Dennis O’Rourke. Color, 87 min. 1986. Containment: Life After Three Mile Island. Directed by Chris Boebel and Nick Poppy. Color, 60 min. 2004.
14	Class Presentations	Infrastructure and Social Forms paper due