Critical Data Cultures (Undergrad – Honors)

Syllabus

22S-HONS3199-CritDataCultures-SyllabusDownload

Schedule

(Subject to change at the discretion of the Instructor. Always check Box for the most up-to-date version.)

How to read this schedule:

  • Weeks are Monday to Sunday, with discussion meetings on Wednesdays
  • The “Prepare” section will help you get ready for the weekly annotations and discussion session. So, this is your homework to do before Wednesday at 3pm. Even if you plan to do Engagement instead of attending discussion session that week.
  • Media and art listed under “Explore” connect theory to examples. We will draw on these heavily in discussion sessions or Engagement papers, but you do not have to annotate them.
  • Annotations are due each week on Wednesdays at 3pm, regardless of whether you plan to attend discussion session or take the Engagement option.

Week 1 Jan 18 – 23 Introduction

Week 2 Jan 24 – 30 Database of the Self

  • Prepare
    • Database of the Self homework
      • Make a database of the self. You are likely aware that data is compiled about you almost every minute of every day. But does that data capture the true you? Spend about an hour compiling your database of the self – the data that gives us insight to who you are – your values, priorities, relationships, and unique qualities. Put it all together – in a spreadsheet, a word doc, an infographic or visualization, a sculpture, or some other format!
      • Upload to Box (if your database is not digital, take photos or videos of it). Be sure to put your name in the file name.
    • Review the Engagement assignment instructions on Box. Annotate with any questions, or post questions to the Questions and Answers channel on TEAMS.
  • Wed, Jan 26
    • 3pm Database of the Self Due
    • 3pm – 3:50pm Discussion Session (TEAMS)
  • Sun, Jan 30
    • Engagement paper due (if you did not attend discussion session)
      • Since there is no reading for this week, review the instructor slides for prompts to help guide your engagement paper. Focus your analytical comments on the database of the self that you created.

Week 3 Jan 31 – Feb 6 Methods for this History of Quantum Media

Week 4 Feb 7 – 13 Methods for this History of Quantum Media, continued

  • Prepare
    • Review
      • Wernimont, Numbered Lives Chapter 1
        • Review the passages that Dr. Knight identified in the slides for last week’s class; Identify other difficult passages you’d like to unpack together.
        • We will discuss the terms Quantum Media (including media, mediation, techne, and poeisis); Becoming and Performativity; Biopolitics (including ethicopolitical orientation, matrix of domination, and necropolitics), plus any additional terminology you’d like to discuss.
  • Wed, Feb 9
    • 3pm – 3:50pm Discussion Session (ATC 1.305 + MS TEAMS)
  • Sun, Feb 13
    • Engagement paper due (if you did not attend discussion session)

Week 5 Feb 14 – 20 Counting the Dead

  • Prepare
    • Read and annotate
      • Wernimont Numbered Lives Ch 2
    • Explore
      • Play Seeing CO2 (free online) https://www.extraordinaryfacility.com/seeing-co2/
  • Wed, Feb 16
    • 3pm Annotations of Numbered Lives Ch 2 due
    • 3pm – 3:50pm Discussion Session (ATC 1.305 + MS TEAMS)
  • Sun, Feb 20
    • Engagement paper due (if you did not attend discussion session)

 

Week 6 Feb 21 – 27 We Don’t Do Body Counts

  • Prepare
    • Read and annotate
      • Wernimont Numbered Lives Ch 3
    • Explore
      • Watch: We Know What You Did During Lockdown (free on YouTube) https://youtu.be/4WTpO9y2Dh4
        • Content warning: sexual assault and suicide
  • Wed, Feb 23
    • 3pm Annotations of Numbered Lives Ch 3 due
    • 3pm – 3:50pm Discussion Session (ATC 1.305)
  • Sun, Feb 27
    • Engagement paper due (if you did not attend discussion session)

 

Week 7 Feb 28 – Mar 6 Every Step You Take

  • Prepare
    • Read and annotate
      • Wernimont Numbered Lives Ch 4
    • Watch
      • Video overview of Dataset Analysis Assignment (if you have not done so already) https://cometmail.sharepoint.com/sites/HONS3199HN52222-Facultychannel/Shared%20Documents/Recordings/View%20Only/New%20channel%20meeting-20220223_132622-Meeting%20Recording.mp4?web=1
  • Wed, Mar 2
    • 3pm Annotations of Numbered Lives Ch 4 due
    • 3pm – 3:50pm Discussion Session (ATC 1.305)
  • Sun, Mar 6
    • Engagement paper due (if you did not attend discussion session)

Week 8 From Mar 7 – 13 Surveying Land to Surveilling Man

  • Prepare
    • Read and annotate
      • Wernimont Numbered Lives Ch 5 and 6
    • Explore
      • Watch Sight (free at Vimeo) https://vimeo.com/46304267
  • Wed, Mar 9
    • 3pm Annotations of Numbered Lives Ch 5 and/or 6 due
    • 3pm – 3:50pm Discussion Session (MS TEAMS)
  • Sun, Mar 13
    • Engagement paper due (if you did not attend discussion session)

Spring Break Mar 14 – 20

  • Sun, Mar 20
    • Dataset Analysis Due

Week 9 Mar 21 – 27 Situated Data, Situated Knowledges

  • Prepare
    • Read and annotate
      • Duarte, Marisa Elena, Morgan Vigil-Hayes, Sandra Littletree, Miranda and Belarde-Lewis. “‘Of course, data can never fully represent reality’: Assessing the Relationship between Indigenous Data and Indigenous Knowledge, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and Traditional Knowledge K.” In Human Biology 91.3 (Summer 2020): pp. 163 – 178.
      • Lennon, Myles. “Decolonizing energy: Black Lives Matter and technoscientific expertise amid solar transitions.” In Energy Research & Social Science, vol. 30, 2017, pp. 18-27.
  • Wed, Mar 23
    • 3pm Annotations of “Of Course Data Can Never Fully Represent Reality” and/or “Decolonizing Energy” due
  • Sun, Mar 27
    • Engagement paper due (if you did not attend discussion session)

Week 10 Mar 28 – Apr 3 Markup Text: Black [Life] Studies and Slavery [Death] Studies

Week 11 Apr 4 – 10 Why Data Science Needs Feminism

Week 12 Apr 11 – 17 Challenge Power; Elevate Emotion and Embodiment

  • Prepare
    • Read and annotate
      • D’Ignazio and Klein, Data Feminism Ch 2 and 3
  • Wed, Apr 13
    • 3pm Annotations of Data Feminism Ch 2 and/or Ch 3 due
    • 3pm – 3:50pm Discussion Session (ATC 1.801b)
  • Sun, Apr 17
    • Engagement paper due (if you did not attend discussion session)

Week 13 Apr 18 – 24 Rethink Binaries and Embrace Pluralism

  • Prepare
    • Read and annotate
      • D’Ignazio and Klein, Data Feminism Ch 4 and 5
  • Wed, Apr 20
    • 3pm Annotations of Data Feminism Ch 4 and/or 5 due
    • 3pm – 3:50pm Discussion Session (ATC 1.801b)
  • Sun, Apr 24
    • Engagement paper due (if you did not attend discussion session)
    • Last day to turn in optional final proposal

Week 14 Apr 25 – May 1 Consider Context and Make Labor Visible

  • Prepare
    • Read and annotate
      • D’Ignazio and Klein, Data Feminism Ch 6 and 7
  • Wed, Apr 27
    • 3pm Annotations of Data Feminism Ch 6 and/or 7 due
    • 3pm – 3:50pm Discussion Session (ATC 1.801b)
  • Sun, May 1
    • Engagement paper due (if you did not attend discussion session)

Week 15 May 2 – 7 Now Let’s Multiply

  • Prepare
    • Read and annotate
      • D’Ignazio and Klein, Data Feminism Conclusion
  • Wed, May 4
    • 3pm Annotations of Data Feminism Conclusion due
    • 3pm – 3:50pm Discussion Session (ATC 1.801b)
  • Sat, May 7
    • Engagement paper due (if you did not attend discussion session)

Finals Week May 9 – 15

  • Wed, May 11
    • Final Paper / Project due