Naraelle Kristin Hohensee
Examines a different subject or problem from a comparative framework. Satisfies the Gateways major/minor requirement. Offered: AWSp.
Media technologies today are continually transforming the globe, connecting people across vast physical spaces in ways never before possible. At the same time, there is a growing awareness of the need for local, emplaced communities that give people a sense of belonging and sustainability within our media-saturated, globalized and commodified world. The goal of this course is to use media practice (photography, video and/or audio, and writing) as a way to critically and self-reflexively examine the physical and social construction of the local spaces we inhabit. Students will choose a familiar, local space as the target of a continuing weekly site study, and they will track their experience of this space through regularly posted blog entries, culminating in a final media-based project. Linked with our class readings, this process is meant to help students explore how the transformative and persuasive capacities of media might provide us with an analog to the built environment that can deepen our understanding of the potential for our everyday spaces to affect human interaction.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
The course will be based around seminar-style discussions of readings, in addition to short lectures.
Students do not need a media background or special technical skills to participate in the class. Short workshops will be given on the basics of blogging and media use.
Class assignments and grading