Course Description

Are we living in a “New Dark Age?” Artist and writer James Bridle argues that the abundance of information intended to enlighten the world has, in practice, darkened it. This course will take a big picture look at the interconnected impact of technology on the world around us. Is it enough to learn to code or think computationally? Are we simply at the mercy of unstable and inevitable technological progress? How can we think and act with justice and agency in a world where there is too much to know? How can we uncover the hidden material traces of technology in our surroundings? Through research, hands-on assignments, and local trips, we will seek to understand what has led to our present technological moment and where we can go from here. We will cover topics such as climate change, e-waste, big data, algorithmic bias, and automation. Our goal will be to create new metaphors for understanding the systems around us.

Contact

Mackenzie Brooks // Professor & Digital Humanities Librarian // (she/her/hers) // brooksm [at] wlu.edu // Leyburn 218

Office hours: by arrangement. I’m happy to meet with you, just let me know and we can schedule something.

Learning Objectives

• Students will research historical and modern technological systems
• Students will recognize hidden traces of technology in their surroundings.
• Students will analyze relationships between technological forces.
• Students will create new metaphors for describing the impact of technology on our social and physical world.

Required Text

Purchase: New Dark Age by James Bridle. This is the core text for the class, so I recommend finding a copy if you can. All other readings will be available online or through library subscriptions.

We do have an ebook for this title available, but unfortunately it comes with a restrictive license. Only one person can access the book at a time. :(

If you have any trouble finding this book, please let me know!

Policies

Accommodations

I am committed to ensuring access to course content for all students. Reasonable accommodations are available for students with disabilities. Contact Lauren Kozak, Title IX Coordinator and Director of Disability Resources, to confidentially discuss your individual needs and the accommodation process. More information can be found at https://www.wlu.edu/disability-accommodations/undergraduate-accommodations.

If you have already been approved for accommodations, please meet with me within the first two days of the term so we can develop an implementation plan together. It is important to meet as early in the term as possible; this will ensure that your accommodations are implemented early on. If you have accommodations for test-taking, please remember that arrangements must be made at least a week before the date of the test or exam.

Plagiarism & AI Policy

All work in this course should be your own with any sources properly attributed. For more info, check out the library’s guide to plagiarism.

We will be discussing and potentially using generative AI tools in class. However, you may only use these tools when explicitly specified in the assignment or activity instructions and any use must be documented. This includes generative AI tools like ChatGPT, but also AI features within writing apps like Grammarly. Evidence of the use of generative AI will result in a failed assignment.

Because listen, I want to hear your voice! I want to know what you think. I am much less interested in a paper that “sounds right” than one that is authentic to you and shows how you’re wrestling with a topic.

License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.