Lit 5937.01

Imagining the Internet: Fiction, Film, and Theory

Professor Jillana Enteen

Office: 417D HFA Phone: 823-6041

Office hours: Tues/Thurs 1-2:30 and by appointment

Course Description:

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 Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash, 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.

Texts:

Reader—available for purchase from me
Neuromancer – William Gibson
Snow Crash – Neal Stephenson
Race in Cyberspace – Beth Kolko, Lisa Nakamura and Gilbert Rodman

Other readings will be determined by consensus during the first class meeting.

Films: Virtuosity (Brett Leonard 1995); Strange Days (Kathryn Bigelow, 1995); Hackers (Ian Softley, 1995); The Net (Irwin Winkler, 1995); Johnny Mnemonic (Robert Longo, 1995); The Matrix (1998).

Requirements:

Class Presentation

Short Paper

Annotated Bibliography or Annotated Funding List

Final Paper or Project

Postings to WebCT Forum

IRC/ Chat room participation (part of this will take place during class)

Class Participation

Class Presentation:

You will be required to give a 10-15 minute presentation on one of the week's readings. If more than one person signs up for a particular week, you can each take a different reading or work together for a slightly longer presentation.

Short Paper:

A short paper will be due the week after your presentation to the class. This approximately five page paper should present an argument based on the reading you presented or class discussion.

Annotated Bibliography or Annotated Funding List:

By the middle of the term, you should hand in a five page annotated bibliography that informs your final project, or an annotated funding list of places where your project or your studies could get funding. I will provide more information about this in an assignment sheet later in the semester.

Final Paper or Project:

A final paper, 12-15 pages long, is due on the last day of class. Another option is to create a final Internet-based project with a 5-page written assessment of the project. You should plan on discussing your topics with me after you hand in your annotated bibliography or funding list.

Posts to the WebCT Forum:

A bulletin board has been created on WebCT to serve your class. The course site is located at http://reach.ucf.edu:8900/webct/public/show_courses?916345039. The course is listed as Lit 5937, Imagining the Internet (Enteen). We will determine as a group how this forum shall be used.

Chat:

We will conduct part of one class in the chat rooms provided on the WebCT class. Before this, you should become familiar with IRC/Chat rooms on your own. The dates for this will be determined by class consensus.

Class Participation:

Class participation is essential for a successful seminar with so many members. You should come to class prepared to discuss each week's readings. Drafting discussion questions or listing issues of concern to you may help you prepare for class discussion. Attendance is mandatory; no more than one class can be missed.