HSS 312: Technology and Society in America
Schedule, Reading List, & Assignments:
The schedule and assignments are subject to change during the semester. If you rely on a printed version of this schedule, please check back here regularly to make sure you have the most current version.
Last revised: April 7, 2011
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| Date | Topic | Reading Assignment | Assignment |
| Week One Jan. 19 |
Introduction | ||
| Week Two Jan. 26 |
Digital History I: The History Web | - Cohen and Rosenzweig, Intro and Chapter 1 - Burton, "American Digital History" - Explore a digital history project (start here) |
Reading response 1 due |
| Week Three Feb. 2 |
Digital History II: Engineering and Technology
|
- Cohen and Rosenzweig, Chapters 4, 6, and Concluding Thoughts
- Explore a second digital history project (start here) |
Reading response 2 due |
| Week Four Feb. 9 |
Oral History I: Overview
Guest Speaker: Prof. David Kirsch, |
- Forbes and Kirsch, "The Study of Emerging Industries" (eLearn)
- Portelli, Introduction - Ritchie, Introduction, Chapter 1, and Appendix 1 |
Reading response 3 due (Portelli and Ritchie selections) |
| Week Five Feb. 16 |
Oral History II: Memory and Meaning | - Portelli, Chapters 1 and 3
- Ritchie, Chapter 7 - Skim Ritchie, Chapters 3, 4, and 8 - Explore oral history websites |
Reading response 4 due (Portelli selections) |
| Week Six Feb. 23 |
Preliminary Project Reports and Group Critique | - Explore an oral history or digital history project | Group project proposals due |
| Week Seven March 2 |
Open Source History? | - Rosenzweig, "Can History be Open Source? Wikipedia and the Future of the Past"
- Cohen and Rosenzweig, "Web of Lies? Historical Knowledge on the Internet" - Explore the Internet Archive |
Reading response 5 due |
| Week Eight March 9 |
The State of the Art | - Class review of digital and oral history projects - Links to websites and projects discussed in class | Review Essay topic and bibliography due |
| March 16 | No Class - Spring Break | ||
| Week Nine March 23 |
Taylor, Labor, and Technology
Guest Speaker: Adam Winger, Head of Special Collections and Digital Initiatives Librarian, SC Williams Library |
**This week's meeting will be in Room 204 of the SC Williams Library**
- Explore the Frederick Winslow Taylor collection in the Stevens Library, including the Classified Guide to the collection. - Smith and Clancey, eds., "Inventing Efficiency: Scientific Management, ca 1900-1939" (eLearn) |
Reading response 6 due |
| Week Ten March 30 |
Digital Communities | Read: - Russell, Interview with David Mills (eLearn) - Dibbell, "A Rape in Cyberspace: How an Evil Clown, a Haitian Trickster Spirit, Two Wizards, and a Cast of Dozens Turned a Database into a Society" Explore: |
Reading response 7 due |
| Week Eleven April 6 |
Harlan County, USA | - Portelli, Chapters 10 and 11 - Watch Harlan County U.S.A. - Watch The Widows of Harlan County |
Group project updates due
Reading response 8 due |
| Week Twelve April 13 |
Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Medicine | - Hill, Corbett, and St. Rose, "Why So Few?" - Executive Summary and Recommendations (eLearn)
Prepare a reading response based on the selections from "Why So Few?" and on your reading of at least two oral histories from the following collections: |
Reading response 9 due |
| Week Thirteen April 20 |
Review Essay Presentations | Review Essays due | |
| Week Fourteen April 27 |
Group Project Presentations | Group project reports due | |
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