Beginning from the understanding that information and communication technologies are foundational to our social and cultural infrastructure, this course takes a critical approach to the ways that culture - in the form of race and gender - shapes the uses, design, and deployment of computers, the internet, and artificial intelligence.
Upon course completion, students will have:
- Developed an understanding of key theories about race, gender, and culture from cultural theory, social science, philosophy of technology, and science and technology studies
- Explored issues surrounding race and technoculture in online and offline venues, social media, and their digital environs
- Increased their awareness of the multiple ways that information technologies impact, extend, or hinder information uses and behaviors based on inferences about identity
You do not need to purchase any books for this course. All required reading and viewing for this course will be made available on Perusall (through Canvas) or through the Georgia Tech Library resources.
There is no final paper or exam for this course. This is a discussion based course, so instead, you will write frequently and weekly:
- your own notes on every reading (Perusall annotations - 20%)
- A discussion portfolio, posted to Piazza, comprised of
- a more formal write up of your notes for every reading as comments (25%) - minimum 10 comments
- A discussion leader post featuring your (500-1000 word) analysis of one article of your choosing (30%)
- An autobiography + reflection detailing how you have managed your social, cultural, interpersonal, and institutional identities with information technologies. (10%)
- Classroom participation and community ethos (15%)
This course uses Perusall and Piazza to manage course readings, note-taking, and reading discussions. You must sign up for Piazza using the link provided in the course syllabus; Perusall will be available from the course Canvas page.
Perusall is an annotation layer/software allowing you to read and take notes on each assigned text as a class. This tool is intended to allow y’all to collaborate on your reading, synthesis, and understanding of the reading selections across the semester.
Piazza is used to post 1) reading discussions analyses (including original posts), 2) discussion comments for each reading, and questions for me.
This is a discussion seminar, so participation is essential for doing well this course. I monitor attendance based on your Perusall annotations, Piazza participation in the form of comments, and in-class contributions to discussion. I use the various analytics from both platforms to assess participation, thus, it is vital that you attend class, share your views on each reading, and participate in discussions either online, in-class, or both.
If you are repeatedly late to class without justification, expect a lowered grade; it’s disrespectful to your classmates. If you miss class more than 6 times without justification - and have not completed the minimum participation requirements on Perusall or Piazza - you will fail the course. If you are concerned about this assessment at any time, contact me to request a ‘snapshot’ of your current grade and discuss ways to improve your participation.
Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.
The Learning Outcomes for the Arts, Humanities & Ethics Core IMPACTS area:
Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance, and ethical implications of literary/philosophical texts in English or other languages or of works in the visual/performing arts.
The Learning Outcomes for the Social Sciences IMPACTS area:
Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economics, political, social, or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change.