Media in Cultural Context

Calendar

SES #	TOPICS	KEY DATES
0. Prologue
1	Introduction and preliminaries. What are media? What is a book?
1. How to Read a Book
2-3	In class: Introduction to book handling (half-class in Special Collecions)
2. Mesopotamia – Cuneiform tablet – Malafouris (“Extended Cognition”)
4-5	In class: Cuneiform tablet	Session 5: First of three position paper due-dates
3. Reading in the West – Gutenberg, Nuremberg Chronicle – Clanchy, Eisenstein
6-7	In class: Gutenberg Bible leaves, Nuremberg Chronicle, Prof. Frampton’s linotype
4. Grammatology – Eliot Algonquin Bible
8–9	In class: Eliot Bible and other Bibles	Session 9: Second of three position paper due-dates
5. McLuhan Medium is the Message – Textual Ephemera
10–11	In class: Letters from the MIT Archives
6. Mythologies – Emily Dickinson’s Gorgeous Nothings – Letterlocking
12–13	In class: Letterlocking workshop with Jana Dambrogio	Session 13: Third of three position paper due-dates
7. Quixote – Print Shops – Diderot
14–15	In class: Diderot’s Encyclopedia illustrations of printing
8. If on a winter’s night a traveler…
16–17	Calvino
9. Special Collections presentations
18	In class: Special Collections presentations of initial findings	Revision of position paper due four days after Session 18
10. Kirschenbaum – Cloud Atlas
19-20	In class: Digital literature and legacy computing workshop
11. Cloud Altas – Workshop
21	In class: Workshopping day
12. Cloud Atlas cont.
22-23	Cloud Atlas cont.	Special Collections project due two days after Session 23
13. Epilogue
24	In class: Informal presentations of projects in Special Collections library Discussion and wrap-up	Distribution of long essay question for final exam