Infrastructures of Digital Cultures

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Cursusdoel

At the end of the course students are able to:
  • understand and identify the various components of infrastructures (incl. hardware, software, labor, policy, waste etc.);
  • develop an understanding of the complexity of infrastructures as social-technical networks (incl. materiality, ownership, regulations, maintenance), their environmental impact and the labor, maintenance and care needed to support them;
  • specify the uneven availability and accessibility of infrastructures;
  • write reading reports of academic literature about infrastructures;
  • define key concepts and evaluate and combine relevant theories about infrastructures in a theoretical framework.

Vakinhoudelijk

Priority rules apply to this course. Make sure you register for this course before June 10, 13:00 noon to be considered for enrollment.
The following students are guaranteed a place:
  • BA Media en cultuur/Media and Culture;
  • BA TCS or LAS;
  • pre-master’s students.
Other students will be placed by means of random selection.

Despite metaphors such as “the cloud” that suggest that data and content distribution is immaterial, we are in fact dealing with physical networks of cables, computer servers and data centers. As infrastructures, these networks often fade into the background and escape critical engagement. The study of infrastructures constitutes a concern for the material assemblages (objects, labour, and relations) that are part and parcel to the operations of digital cultures.
This course examines the socio-technical networks that support digital cultures and addresses how they reframe traditional questions of media production, circulation, access, consumption, and policy and regulation. More specifically, it raises questions about the uneven distribution and conditions that characterise digital media, their environmental impact, and the labor, maintenance, and care needed to support them.

This is the first course in the specialization Critical Data Studies.

Werkvormen

Hoorcollege

Werkcollege
Bijdrage

Active participation in group activities; peer feedback.

Voorbereiding

Read obligatory texts; complete weekly assgnments; selfstudy to keep on track with level of course assignments.

Toetsing

Paper

Verplicht | Weging 60% | Minimum cijfer 5,5 | ECTS 4,5

Ability to understand and identify the various components / complexity of infrastructures; write reading reports of academic literature about infrastructures; define key concepts and evaluate and combine relevant theories about infrastructures in a theoretical framework.

Deadlines will be announced at the start of the course.

Portfolio

Verplicht | Weging 40% | ECTS 3

Ability to understand and identify the various components / complexity of infrastructures; write reading reports of academic literature about infrastructures; define key concepts and evaluate and combine relevant theories about infrastructures in a theoretical framework.

Ingangseisen en voorkennis

Ingangseisen

Er is geen informatie over verplichte ingangseisen bekend.

Voorkennis

This course presupposes basic knowledge of media history and theory. Moreover, you are expected to be able to read and process academic texts; to write a coherent and well-structured text, using academic idiom; to be acquainted with the Chicago system for referencing and annotating literature; to be able to search and select sources in the university library’s online databases.

Voorkennis kan worden opgedaan met

Core Profiles 1 and 2 of the BA Media and Culture.

Voertalen

  • Engels

Cursusmomenten

Gerelateerde studies

Thema's

Tentamens

Er is geen tentamenrooster beschikbaar voor deze cursus

Verplicht materiaal

Er is geen informatie over de verplichte literatuur bekend


Aanbevolen materiaal

Materiaal Omschrijving
SYLLABUS To be announced in Blackboard. It will be available via the University Library.

Coördinator

J. Keilbach J.Keilbach@uu.nl

Docenten

J. Keilbach J.Keilbach@uu.nl

Inschrijving

Deze cursus is open voor bijvakkers. Controleer wel of er aanvullende ingangseisen gelden.

Inschrijving
Van maandag 3 juni 2024 tot en met vrijdag 21 juni 2024

Na-inschrijving
Van maandag 19 augustus 2024 tot en met dinsdag 20 augustus 2024

Inschrijving niet geopend
Permanente link naar de cursuspagina
Laat in de Cursus-Catalogus zien