This course will introduce you to broad aspects of modern digital literacies so that you can develop a critical stance when working in digital environments. You will also gain experience within those environments as you digest and construct materials throughout the semester. The calendars below provide an overview of the topics we will discuss, as well as the readings and activities designed to support our work. A complete, integrated calendar is available as a Numbers spreadsheet; note that it might be difficult to read on a mobile device.
Readings (Homework) Calendar
Unit/Topic/Week | Readings |
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Sep 5–8 Course Rationale and Plan | Read both:
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Privacy | |
Sep 11–15 Adhesion Contracts | Choose one:
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Sep 18–22 Legal Protections |
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Sep 25–29 Behavioral Profiling | Read both:
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Surveillance | |
Oct 2–6 Capitalist Origins | Read both:
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Oct 9–13 Algorithmic Prediction | O’Neil, C. (2017). Weapons of math destruction. Saturday Evening Post, 289(2), 40–90. |
Oct 16–20 Power, Privilege, Choice | Read both:
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Identity | |
Oct 23–27 Content Personalization | Choose one:
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Oct 30 – Nov 3 Digital Redlining | Read both:
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Nov 6–10 Facial Recognition | Buolamwini, J. (22 June 2018). The hidden dangers of facial analysis. The New York Times. |
Resistance | |
Nov 13–17 Technical Resistance | Choose one:
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Nov 27 – Dec 1 Legal Resistance | Read both: • McKenna, A. T. (29 June 2023). US agencies buy vast quantities of personal information on the open market. The Conversation. • A related article of your choosing that offers substantive material to your discussion. |
Dec 4–8 Social Resistance | Read both:
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Book Report Topics
In our first class session, everyone in class will sign up for our book-report project. You’ll be responsible for presenting the book to the class and leading that week’s relevant discussion. Details are on the assignments page. Most books below are available directly from the NTLC; those that aren’t can be requested through Inter-Library Loan or purchased at any bookseller.
Week | Book | Presenter |
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Privacy | ||
Sep 11–15 Adhesion Contracts | Lipton, J. D. (2022). Our Data, Ourselves: A Personal Guide to Digital Privacy. Univ of California Press. | Jonena |
Sep 18–22 Legal Protections | Solove, D. (2011). Nothing to hide: The false tradeoff between privacy and security. New Haven, CT: Yale UP. | |
Sep 25–29 Behavioral Profiling | Noble, S. U. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism. New York University Press. | Julie |
Surveillance | ||
Oct 2–6 Capitalist Origins | Zuboff, S. (2019). The age of surveillance capitalism: The fight for a human future at the new frontier of power. New York: NY: Public Affairs. | |
Oct 9–13 Algorithmic Prediction | O’Neil, C. (2016). Weapons of math destruction: How big data increases inequality and threatens democracy. Crown. | |
Oct 16–20 Power, Privilege, Choice | One from:
| Jasmine |
Identity | ||
Oct 23–27 Content Personalization | McGuigan, L. (2023). Selling the American People: Advertising, Optimization, and the Origins of Adtech. MIT Press. | |
Oct 30 – Nov 3 Digital Redlining | Benjamin, R. (2020). Race after technology: Abolitionist tools for the new Jim Code. Oxford. | Cindy |
Nov 6–10 Facial Recognition | Buolamwini, J. (2023). Unmasking AI: A story of hope and justice in a world of algorithms. Random House. [Available Nov 7.] | Friend |
Resistance | ||
Nov 13–17 Technical Resistance | One from:
| Gianna |
Nov 27 – Dec 1 Legal Resistance | One from:
| Jonathan |
Dec 4–8 Social Resistance | One from:
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Schedule of Major Papers
Major deadlines appear below; details about the assignments are on the Assignments page of this site.
Week | Assignment |
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4 (Sep 25–29) | Synthesis 1 |
7 (Oct 16–20) | Synthesis 2 |
10 (Nov 6–10) | Synthesis 3 |
13 (Dec 4–8) | Synthesis 4 |
Exams (Dec 18–22) | Final Project |