Class Schedule

Date	Readings/Assignments
TH September 1	Introduction/Class OverviewHomework: Create an account on the class blog. Due: Sept. 3 http://litinawiredworld.wordpress.com
Unit One: Ways of Reading
Unit Questions: What exactly counts as “literature” in the electronic age? Do electronic documents and the internet promote the reading of literature (i.e., not just news and email), and what forms does that literature take? How are our current developments in literacy and media similar/different to such changes in the past? What can studying the transition from orality to literacy and from manuscript to print tell us about our emergence into a digital literacy? What are the benefits and drawbacks to each of the forms of literacy studied in this unit (orality, manuscript, print, electronic)?
T September 6	What is Literature and Can it Require a Power Outlet?Read: National Endowment for the Arts: Reading at Risk (pages VII – XIII and 29 – 31) Mathew Kirschenbaum, Response for the Electronic Literature Organization
TH September 8	Language Technologies: Orality, Manuscript, Print, ElectronicRead: Walter Ong, excerpts from “Writing Restructures Consciousness” (ELMS) Media and Information Technology
T September 13	Electronic Editions and CopyrightRead: Cory Doctorow, “Anda’s Game” “China used prisoners in lucrative internet gaming work” The Guardian The Creative Commons License (read and watch the short video) Project Gutenberg, “No Cost or Freedom” Browse the collection of “free” eBooks on Project Gutenberg
TH September 15	Introduction to Close ReadingWatch: Youtube: “The Close Reading Cooperative: Introduction“ Youtube: “The Close Reading Cooperative: Etymology, part 1“ Read: L. Kip Wheeler, “Close Reading of a Literary Passage” Williams, Saul, “Coded Language“ Homework: Write a short (2 – 3 paragraph) close reading of a favorite song. Post your close reading on the blog along with the lyrics to the song you analyzed (post the video from YouTube if available). Make sure to incorporate the concepts from the reading and class discussion. No summaries!!! Due Sept. 17th by 10pm.
Unit Two: Electronic Literature
Unit Questions: What are the different types of electronic literature (e-literature)? What does e-literature inherit from traditional forms of literature? How does e-literature differ from print or manuscript literatures? What literacies are required to read and participate in the production of e-literature? How does HTML function and why is knowing HTML important for understanding literature on the internet? What is meant by “Web 2.0″ and how have Web 2.0 technologies altered e-literature?
T September 20	What is Electronic Literature?Read: N. Katherine Hayles, Electronic Literature: What is it? Preface and Sections 1-2 (Also available on ELMS) Homework: Explore the Electronic Literature Collection vol. 1; read at least two of the entries and then select one. Write a short description of your chosen entry that identifies the type or genre it represents based on Hayles’ article. Post your work on the class blog. Due: Before Class on Sept. 20
TH September 22	Digital PoetryRead: Christopher Funkhouser, “Digital Poetry: A Look at Generative, Visual, and Interconnected Possibilities in its First Four Decades” Loss Pequeño Glazier, “White-Faced Bromeliads on 20 Hectares” Jim Andrews, “Stir Fry Texts” Reiner Strasser and M.D. Coverley, “ii — in the white darkness” NOTE: Read the summary and author description of the poem before reading the poem itself.
T September 27	Analog Hypertext FictionRead: Jorge Luis Borges, “The Garden of Forking Paths” (ELMS) Short History of Hypertext Robert Coover, “The End of Books” (ELMS)
TH September 29	Digital Hypertext fictionRead: Caitlin Fisher, These Waves of Girls (you should spend at least an hour reading this text) Jessica Laccetti, “Where to Begin?: Multiple Narrative Paths in Web Fiction” (ELMS)
T October 4	HTML and Writing Hypertext FictionRead: Dave Raggett’s Introduction to HTML Homework: Create a basic webpage. See the instructions here. Due October 6th by 10 pm.
TH October 6	Interactive Fiction and Ergodic LiteratureRead: Espen J. Aarseth, “Introduction: Ergodic Literature,” from Cybertext: Perspectives on Ergodic Literature–Read the first two sections: “The Book and the Labyrinth” and “Some Examples of Ergodic Literature” Beginner’s Guide to Interactive Fiction Sections 1-3 Interactive Fiction “Card” Play: Andrew Plotkin, “Shade” *Try to get as far as you can; we will spend time in class reading “Shade” together. Homework: Finish “Shade” and respond to one of the reading prompts on the class blog.  Due: Oct 9th by 10pm (this will also count as your blog participation for the week)
T October 11	Web 2.0 and literatureRead: Wikipedia entry on Web 2.0 Blog Fiction Defined The Urban 30–Read the “About” and three entries of your choice Homework: Create an account on Wikia.com and register on our class wiki (http://litinawiredworld.wikia.com/)
TH  October 13	Wikis as Critical ToolsRead: Wikipedia entry on Wikis
Unit Three: Posthumanism and Digital Identities
Unit Questions How do new technologies alter our definition(s) of humanity? What is the role of the body in defining humanity? Do our digital selves (avatars) express who we are, or do they redefine our identities? What is at stake in constructing a definition of the human? Who gets to set that definition? What does it mean to be a cyborg? posthuman? How do questions of identity get reshaped when they are remediated into a new form (from text to film, film to digital, etc.)
T October 18	The Virtual SelfRead: Phillip Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Chapter 1 – 6) Mark Stephen Meadows: from I, Avatar (ELMS) “Virtual Worlds Introduction: Second Life and Beyond” by Alja Isakovic Homework: Create an avatar in Second Life and begin exploring: http://www.secondlife.com
TH October 20	Posthumanism – The Electronic Body Read: Phillip Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Chapter 7 – 12) N. Katherine Hayles, from How We Became Posthuman, pages 1-6 (ELMS) Shelley Jackson, “My Body” (spend 10-15 minutes with this hypertext)
T October 25	Cyborgs, Androids and Gender Read: Phillip Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Chapters 13 through 16) Donna Haraway and James Kohl, “Cyborg Manifesto Comic” N. Katherine Hayles, from How We Became Posthuman, pages 160-167, 170-175 (ELMS)
TH October 27	The Mediated SelfRead: Phillip Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Chapters 17 to end) N. Katherine Hayles, from How We Became Posthuman, pages 167-170, 175-179, 188-191 (ELMS) DUE: Working Thesis Statement
T November 1	Androids and “Remediation” Read: Bolter and Grusin, Remediation: Understanding New Media, pages 44-58 (ELMS)
TH November 3	Midterm paper workshopBring completed first draft to class.
F November 4	Midterm paper due by 10pm (posted on the blog)
Unit Four: Reading Virtual Spaces
Unit Questions How have “virtual spaces” been constructed through literature in the past? How are spaces “remediated”? What would an ecocritical approach to virtual spaces entail? In what ways have spaces, both virtual and natural, been “actors” (i.e. not just backgrounds) in our readings thus far? How does William Gibson define “cyberspace,” and how accurately does that that definition describe the digital world we live in today? How does mobile computing redefine out conception of virtual spaces?
T November 8	Reading Natural Spaces as Virtual SpacesRead: Introduction to Ecocriticism (ELMS) John Muir, “Yosemite Glaciers” Explore: Yosemite Valley via Google Earth
TH November 10	Cyberpunk and the birth of “cyberspace”Read: William Gibson, “Burning Chrome” (ELMS) Robert Rossney, “Metaworlds“ Explore: “S.I.C. 49″ in Second Life Homework: Write a short description of one place you visited in Second Life and post it on the blog – Due: Nov. 9 by 10 pm
T November 15	Mobile and Site-Specific Narratives Read: Jason Farman, “Site-Specific Storytelling and Reading Interfaces” from Mobile Interface Theory: Embodied Space and Locative Media (ELMS) Watch: YouTube: Paul Notzold, “TXTual Healing“
TH November 17	Reading Virtual SpacesClass meets at “Two Fish” in Second Life
Unit Five: Digital Culture and Globalization
Unit Questions What is “globalization”? How does technology facilitate globalization? What are the benefits of globalization? What are the drawbacks/criticisms of globalization? How has globalization affected forms of cultural production? (literature, film, video games, etc.) How does our conception of borders change in a networked world?
T November 22	TransmissionRead: Hari Kunzru, Transmission (pages 1-71) TBD Final Project Proposal Due
TH November 25	Thanksgiving–no class
T November 29	TransmissionReading Day — no classRead: Hari Kunzru, Transmission (pages 72-175)
TH December 1	Transmission: Viruses and Culture Read: Hari Kunzru, Transmission (pages 176-215) Infographic: A Guide to Internet Memes “The Computer Virus: Our Cultural Contagion”
T December 6	Transmission Read: Hari Kunzru, Transmission (pg 216-End) Wikipedia entry on the Schengen Agreement “Faltering Movement: Explaining Europe’s Schengen Struggle” Watch: “My Train Experience” — Just fair warning, this is a scene of intense racism and is particularly vulgar. However, it’s important to watch in the context of Transmission because 1) Kunzru recently tweeted about it and 2) you get a sense of the racism under girding Guy’s work with the EU border agency.
TH December 8	Final Project Workshop
T December 13	Digital Games and Literature Read:  “The Influence of Literature and Myth in Videogames” Play: Jason Nelson, i made this. you play this. we are enemies The Great Gatsby for NES (read the “About” then click on “Home” to play the game) Jason Rohrer, Passage
W December 14	Final Project due by 10pm
T December 20	Final Exam: Tuesday, Dec 20 1:30pm-3:30pm