HHIS-297: Hist & Theory of Media & Tech

This course will explore the history of technology, considering new technologies as drivers of political and social change, while technological artifacts embody values and assumptions of the societies that produce them. Since technology is both fostered and influenced by socio-economic, legal, and political contexts, these, too, will be explored. How can we think about media technologies in a critical way? How can we understand the ways they impact society and drive social change? How do they reflect social values and divisions? After all, technology reflects and shapes our understanding of identity, time, class, gender, space, labor, and politics. By the end of the course, students should be able to understand the history of technological innovation, as well as various ways by which to assess the relationship between society, technology, and media.