Graduate students can expect to receive additional reading and different assignment details.

Transcription

1 EDPX 4780: Speculative Cultures (Science Fiction & Emergent Digital Practices) Fall Professor: Trace Reddell Class: Sturm Hall 434, Tuesday and Thursday 2:00-3:50pm Office Hours: Tuesday, 4-5:30pm or by appointment Office: Sturm Hall 216B Contact: Catalog Description: This course explores the intersections of emergent digital practices and cultures with the extrapolative thought experiments, technical speculations, and social criticisms of science fiction. Students will read, discuss, write, and otherwise respond to primary texts by the likes of William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Cory Doctorow, Philip K. Dick, and Hiroshi Yamamoto. Science fiction studies may also include subgenres (steampunk, hard science fiction, ecological) and regional categories (Japanese sci-fi), as well as consider science fiction in other media formats (sound recordings, film, games). For output, students will produce written materials in a variety of formats, culminating in a formal essay or interactive publication. Prerequisite: EDPX 4020 or permission of the instructor. Graduate students can expect to receive additional reading and different assignment details. Required Texts & Materials All downloads and other links are located on the course website: Texts E. M. Forster, The Machine Stops (1909) C. M. Kornbluth, The Marching Morons (1951) Clifford D. Simak, The Big Front Yard (1958) Octavia Butler, Bloodchild (1984) Pat Cadigan, Rock On (1984) Donna Haraway, A Cyborg Manifesto (1985) John Shirley, Six Kinds of Darkness (1988) and Wolves of the Plateau (1988) Paolo Bacigalupi, People of Sand and Slag (2004) Cory Doctorow, Makers (2009) Brandon Graham, Prophet, Vol. 1: Remission (2012) Kodwo Eshun, More Brilliant Than The Sun: Adventures in Sonic Fiction (1998) Istvan Csicsery-Ronay, Jr., The Seven Beauties of Science Fiction (2008) Films The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Blade Runner (1982) Wall-E (2008) Podcasts Selections from Radiolab Selections from To the Best of our Knowledge

2 ASSIGNMENTS & EVALUATION Detailed instructions and assignment sheets will be delivered throughout the quarter. Content Responses (25%): These will vary between short fictional exercises and miniessays written in response to required reading, viewing and listening materials. Flash Fiction (20%): Short fiction written in class to conceptual prompts, sometimes collaboratively. Sustained Fiction (20%): Longer fiction written outside of class. Final (20%): Collection of your revised and expanded writings. Participation (15%): I expect you to be willing to discuss and work with materials assigned before each class. You will also be asked to do a good amount of writing in class in response to various prompts. We will have regular discussions of each other s work, and I expect you to be attentive, creative and constructive in your work with each other as reader, commenter and editor. COURSE SCHEDULE The following is a thematic outline. Class materials are subject to change based on the interests, understanding, and general pace of the class. It is your responsibility to keep up with any schedule changes, whether you are in class or not. The full calendar and updates are listed on the class web site: Week 1: Introductions Week 2: Possible Futures Week 3: Ages of Wonder Week 4: Scientific Revolution Week 5: The Language of Science Fiction Week 6: Sonic Science Fiction Week 7: Other Worlds Week 8: Apocalypses Week 9: Alternative Endings Week 10: Workshops Final: Tues, Nov. 19, 2013

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4 GENERAL POLICIES Attendance Attendance of all class sessions is mandatory and expected. Students are expected to attend during any workshop or working sessions. After two absences (excused for documented illness or school-related travel), each additional unexcused absence will result in a 10% reduction of your final grade in the class. Missing 5 or more classes (half of the classes in a quarter) will result in a failed grade. In such cases, documentation for major illness or other extenuating circumstances may allow accommodation if you request a late withdrawal or incomplete if you choose to take the class again. Failure to have work ready by its due date constitutes an absence and may result in failure of the project. Disabilities / Medical Accommodation If you qualify for academic accommodations because of a disability or medical issue please submit a Faculty Letter to me from Disability Services Program (DSP) in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities/medical issues. DSP is located on the 4 th floor of Ruffatto Hall, 1999 E. Evans Ave.; / 2278 / Information is also available on line at see the Handbook for Students with Disabilities. Technology While you are not required to purchase the software that you may use for this class, not having the software is no excuse for failing to complete your projects. It is your responsibility to work out times when you can use the EDP lab or to make other arrangements for doing your work. It is your responsibility to adhere to all rules regarding the use of the EDP labs and equipment. You should bring a hefty flash drive or portable hard drive with you to class to check out assigned materials and other resources from the instructor s station. Peripheral Devices I prefer to keep the classroom and lecture hall free from distractions, so please do not use your cell phones, instant messaging services, PDAs, or laptops in the class. Exceptions to this are workshop and production sessions, as long as you are working with software used in our class or the equivalent. You should keep a notebook, journal or sketchbook for class notes. Policy 1. If you cannot see me during my office hours, me to set up an appointment. I try to accommodate appointments within 48 hours, but it might be up to a week before we can meet. 2. I read and reply to once a day and usually do not read or reply to after 5 PM or weekends. 3. Please do not expect zero-hour clarification of assignments via . I typically will not reply to s regarding course matters (assignment requirements or due dates, readings, etc.) that are the result of your unexcused absences or lack of attention to course instruction. Your questions about assignments should be addressed in class or during office hours. Grading I will grade and comment on all of your work produced during the quarter, specifically noting how well you are meeting the three course objectives (listed above), as well as more generally applying the following grade scale.

5 Grade Scale A (95-100%); A- (90-94%) = generally, this grade is reserved for those works that surpass expectations by: sophisticated writing, critical thinking, creative work, and/or production skills; incorporation of multiple, different concepts, creative approaches and techniques with excellent results; outstanding use of source materials, research analysis, and synthesis of own content; great contribution to a deeper understanding of works and artists from production, cultural and theoretical perspectives; consistently original and substantial contributions to class discussions, projects and assignments. B+ (85-89%); B (80-84%); B- (75-79%) = meets criteria and in some areas exceeds expectations by: very effective writing, critical thinking, creative work, and/or production skills; incorporation of multiple, different concepts, creative approaches, and/or techniques, usually with very good outcomes; original use of source materials, research analysis, and synthesis of own content; your work contributes to a deeper understanding of works and artists from production, cultural and/or theoretical perspectives; frequent original or substantial contributions to class discussions, projects and assignments. C- (60-64%); C (65-69%); C+ (70-74%) = fulfills all requirements. The grade recognizes: satisfactory writing, critical thinking, creative work, and/or production skills; a tendency to stick to one or two familiar concepts, creative approaches, and/or techniques; a reliance on untreated source materials, lack of research analysis, and little synthesis of own content; your work states the obvious and does little to contribute to an understanding of works and artists from production, cultural or theoretical perspectives; infrequent or rushed and undeveloped contributions to class discussions, projects and assignments but keeps up with the schedule. D (51-54%) / D+ (55-59%) = fails to fulfill some requirements. The grade recognizes: less than writing, critical thinking, creative work, and/or production skills; sticks to one key concept, creative approach, or technique; a reliance on untreated source materials, lack of research analysis, and no synthesis of own content; your work is insubstantial and fails to contribute to an understanding of works and artists from production, cultural or theoretical perspectives; rushed and undeveloped contributions to class discussions, projects and assignments, and some inability to keep up with the schedule. F (0-50%) = fails all requirements. The grade recognizes: an inability to master anything more than basic writing, critical thinking, creative work, and/or production skills; an inability to incorporate key concepts, creative approaches, and/or techniques; an over-reliance on source materials, lack of research analysis, and no synthesis of own content; your work is incomplete and poorly developed in terms of its contribution to understanding of works and artists from production, cultural or theoretical perspectives; lack of contributions to class discussions, unfinished projects and assignments, and failure to keep up with schedule. Academic Integrity I expect all assignments to represent the outcomes of your own critical thinking and production efforts. A student found to have plagiarized another s work that is, represented someone else s written word or other media production efforts as your own will receive an F for the course, and I will report the matter to the AHSS Dean s office and the Office of Community and Citizenship Standards.