Imagining the Internet: Fiction, Film and Theory
Lit
5937.01
Time: Wednesday, 19:00-21:45
Professor: Jillana Enteen
Syllabus |
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Much recent fiction, film and theory portray
the Internet and the World Wide Web. Sometimes cyberspace is depicted as a
continuation of previous media such as television, movies or telephone, but
often it is envisioned as a new frontier. This course will examine the ways in
which virtual media is constructed. We will read novels such as William
Gibson's Neuromancer and Kate
Bornstein and Caitlin Sullivan's Nearly
Roadkill, see films including Hackers
and The Matrix, and read media theory
that considers the potential of the Internet from the perspective of nation,
race, class and gender. Our guiding questions will include the following: In
what ways are these narratives shaping collective perceptions of the Internet?
How have virtual technologies challenged experiences of language, gender, community
and identity? While students will be expected to conduct research on the World
Wide Web and participate in Internet discussions, no previous Internet
experience is necessary.