MATX 602 (Schedule #17220)
Virginia Commonwealth University
Fall 2011
MW 5:30-6:45pm :: 330 Hibbs
Prof. David Golumbia
Office: 324D Hibbs Hall
Fall 2011 Office Hours: Weds 2-5pm

MATX Core Curriculum
History of Media, Art, and Text

This course examines the history of communication technologies in their social and cultural contexts, with an emphasis on the development of contemporary digital technologies and new media. Students will explore how the interactions between communication practices and technologies are related to institutions, identity formation, cultural values, social practices and economic conditions. Readings this semester will center around analytical histories of communication especially in their political and technological contexts (Innis, Carey, Mattelart, Boyle) and the ideas of information and new media (Gleick, Gitelman, Manovich, Kirschenbaum). Students will participate actively in discussion, offer topics for discussion periodically to the rest of the class, contribute to a group project on the histories of particular media, and write a final seminar paper.

Books (at VCU bookstore, but any new or used edition of these books is acceptable for class)

1. Lev Manovich, The Language of New Media (MIT, 2002)
2. Matthew Kirschenbaum, Mechanisms: New Media and the Forensic Imagination (MIT Press, 2010)
3. Lisa Gitelman, Always Already New: Media, History, and the Data of Culture (MIT Press, 2006)
4. James Gleick, The Information: A History, A Theory, A Flood (Pantheon, 2011)
5. James Boyle, The Public Domain: Enclosing the Commons of the Mind (Yale UP, 2010)
6. Freidrich Kittler, Optical Media (Polity, 2007)

Articles and Book Chapters (mostly in Blackboard)

1. Harold Innis, "The Bias of Communication" from The Bias of Communication, and "Parchment and Paper" from Empire and Communications
2. James Carey, "Mass Communications and Cultural Studies," from Communication as Culture
3. Armand Mattelart, "The Economy of Circulation" and "Symbolic Propagation" from The Invention of Communication
4. Ariel Dorfman and Armand Mattelart, How To Read Donald Duck
5. John Guillory, "Genesis of the Media Concept," Critical Inquiry 36:2 (2010)

Assignments and Evaluation

Evaluation will be based on written exercises and course participation as follows:

• Two 3-5 page entries on collaborative course project (40%; 2 papers of 20% each)
  Two projects of at least 500 words contributed to the main group project, a typological studie of media and modes. Students may choose to submit traditional 3-5 page short papers on a topic related to the course if they prefer.
• Final 10-12 page paper (40%)
  The final paper will be on a topic of your choosing that relates to the course subject chosen in consultation with the instructor.
• Participation (20%)
  All in-class work including presentations, your attendance and participation in discussion.
  

Policies

• This course is taught primarily via discussion. Your attendance and participation are vital to its success. A significant portion of your grade (20%) depends on your class participation. Because the class meets only once a week, more than one unexcused absence will count against your final course grade. 3 unexcused absences results in automatic failure of the course, in accordance with College guidelines.
• No late work is accepted in this class. Work handed in late is automatically marked down one-third grade (e.g., a B becomes a B-) for each day it is late, and after one week becomes a failing grade for the assignment.
• You are expected to have done the primary reading and any other primary course assignments before the beginning of course each week.
• All work in this course is subject to the University's Honor Code. You may work in teams for some assignments, but all written work must be solely your own, and any reliance on published work must be properly cited.
• Final grades for the course will not be released until the entire class has submitted online course evaluations.

IMPORTANT OFFICIAL VCU INFORMATION

VCU Statement on Safety

What to know and do to be prepared for emergencies at VCU:

• Sign up to receive VCU text messaging alerts (www.vcu.edu/alert/notify). Keep your information up-to-date.
• Know the safe evacuation route from each of your classrooms. Emergency evacuation routes are posted in on-campus classrooms.
• Listen for and follow instructions from VCU or other designated authorities.
• Know where to go for additional emergency information (www.vcu.edu/alert).
• Know the emergency phone number for the VCU Police (828-1234). Report suspicious activities and objects.

VCU Honor System

Virginia Commonwealth University recognizes that honesty, truth, and integrity are values central to its mission as an institution of higher education. The Honor System is built on the idea that a person’s honor is his/her most cherished attribute. A foundation of honor is essential to a community devoted to learning. Within this community, respect and harmony must coexist. The Honor System is the policy of VCU that defines the highest standards of conduct in academic affairs.

The Honor System states that faculty members are responsible for:

• Understanding the procedures whereby faculty handles suspected instances of academic dishonesty. Faculty are to report any infraction of the VCU Honor System according to the procedures outlined in our policy.
• Developing an instructional environment that reflects a commitment to maintaining and enforcing academic integrity. Faculty should discuss the VCU Honor System at the onset of each course and mention it in course syllabi.
• Handling every suspected or admitted instance of violation of the provisions of this policy in accordance with procedures set forth in the policy.

The Honor System in its entirety can be reviewed on the Web at
http://www.provost.vcu.edu/pdfs/Honor_system_policy.pdf or it can be found in the 2011-12 VCU Insider at http://www.students.vcu.edu/insider.html.

The Honor System must be upheld and enforced by each member of the Virginia Commonwealth University community. The fundamental attributes of our community are honor and integrity. We are privileged to operate with this Honor System.

Statement on Americans with Disabilities Act

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 require Virginia Commonwealth University to provide an 'academic adjustment' and/or a 'reasonable accommodation' to any qualified individual with a physical or mental disability who self-identifies as having such. Students should contact the Disability Support Services office on the Monroe Park Campus (828-2253) or on the MCV Campus (828-9782) for appropriate academic adjustments or accommodations.

VCU Guidelines for Student Conduct

VCU faculty play a critical role in helping to build an environment that is conducive to the academic success of our students. As you know, VCU has policies and procedures designed to create an environment conducive to academic excellence. One of these policies and procedures can be found in a document entitled “Guidelines for Faculty Members Regarding Student Conduct in the Instructional Settings.” This document is available on the VCU Web at http://www.provost.vcu.edu/pdfs/FacultyGuideToStudentConductInInstructionalSettings.pdf or it can be found in the 2011-12 VCU Insider.

Understanding these guidelines will help you to encourage classroom behavior that does not detract from the quality of each student’s educational experience. Please read the document and think about your role in promoting a University culture based on mutual respect and civility.

As a reminder, both faculty and students should turn off cell phones and pagers while in the classroom.

Important Dates

Important dates for the Fall 2011 semester are available at:
http://academiccalendars.vcu.edu/?term=Fall+2011

VCU Mobile

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Week-By-Week Syllabus

Week One. Information I

• Mon Aug 29. Introduction. No reading.
• Weds Aug 31. Gleick, The Information, Prologue & Chapter 1

Week Two. Information II

• Mon Sep 5. No class; Labor Day
• Weds Sep 7. Gleick, The Information, Chapters 2-3

Week Three. Information III

• Mon Sep 12. Gleick, The Information, Chapters 4-6
• Weds Sep 14. Gleick, The Information, Chapters 7-9

Week Four. Information IV

• Mon Sep 19. Gleick, The Information, Chapters 10-12
• Weds Sep 21. Gleick, The Information, Chapters 13-15 & Epilogue

Week Five. The Newness of New Media

• Mon Sep 26. Gitelman, Always Already New, first half
• Weds Sep 28. Gitelman, Always Already New, second half

Week Six. New Old Media

• Mon Oct 3. Harold Innis, "The Bias of Communication" and "Parchment and Paper"
• Weds Oct 5. Carey, "Mass Communications and Cultural Studies"

Week Seven. Old New Media

• Mon Oct 10. Dorfman and Mattelart, How To Read Donald Duck
• Weds Oct 12. Mattelart, "The Economy of Circulation," "Symbolic Propagation"

Week Eight. No classes.

• Mon Oct 17. No class; instructor away
• Weds Oct 19. No class; instructor away

Week Nine. The Language of New Media

• Mon Oct 24. Manovich, The Language of New Media. First short assignment due.
• Weds Oct 26. Manovich, The Language of New Media

Week Ten. The Language of New Media

• Mon Oct 31. Manovich, The Language of New Media
• Weds Nov 2. Manovich, The Language of New Media

Week Eleven. No classes.

• Mon Nov 7. No class; instructor away
• Weds Nov 9. No class; instructor away

Week Twelve. Mechanisms

• Mon Nov 14. Kirschenbaum, Mechanisms, pt 1
• Weds Nov 16. Kirschenbaum, Mechanisms, pt 2. Second short assignment due.

Week Thirteen. The Concept of Media

• Mon Nov 21. Guillory, "Gensesis of the Media Concept"
• Weds Nov 23. No class; Thanksgiving

Week Fourteen. The Public Domain

• Mon Nov 28. Boyle, The Public Domain, pt 1
• Weds Nov 30. Boyle, The Public Domain, pt2

Week Fifteen.Kittler, Optical Media

• Mon Dec 5. Kittler, Optical Media, pt 1
• Weds Dec 7. Kittler, Optical Media, pt 2

Final paper due in my English Dept mailbox (Hibbs Hall), or electronically through Blackboard or via email during the final exam period (5:30-6:45pm, Weds Dec 14) for this course. Electronic copies of final papers are fully acceptable. There is no other final exam for the course.

Last updated  November 17, 2011 .