4 – Tactical Media

 Week 4 – Tactical Media critiques the system

What is the “real” or the “evidence” in a post-human cyber culture? What are the hidden structures, politics and economic assumptions of  the emerging digital age?  This week we look at the work of two artists who are developing deeply immersive transmedia works that invite us to go with them behind the façade of our computer screens and look hard through and beyond the official technological veils. They engage us in other worlds like Second Life to experience and investigate how the new information, security and knowledge economy works, how labor is realigning and functioning there, and how we are all part of a public that drives this engine…for real.

Reading Assignment

Gere, Charlie (2008).  Digital Culture.  London: Reaktion Books.  pp. 79 – 153.

Term Project: Week 4 Benchmarks

  • Groups create first iteration of their online curation project; post link to course site for cohort feedback

Online Assignment: website immersion + viewing

The participatory art projects of artist Stephanie Rothenberg
http://www.pan-o-matic.com/home

The participatory art projects of Brooke Singer
http://www.bsing.net/

Online Discussion:

Please refer to Week 2 – 3 guidelines for posting content.

Public post + comment is due before Friday, 5pm.

Private Post-Essay: Focus on this week’s reading

Please refer to Week 2 – 3  guidelines to focus your analytical writing assignment on this week’s reading.

This private 500 word min. post-essay is due to me by Sunday, midnight.

Mid Term: A comparative critical essay

Due Friday, November 8, 5pm.

1.     Develop a central argument and comparative analysis exploring how two different digital or online projects studied in the first half of this course open up a critical intervention into conceptions and practices of participatory media.  Justify and explain WHY you selected these two projects and what we can learn and understand about participatory media and social practice through this comparative juxtaposition.

2.     Select three theoretical ideas illuminating major trends and operations in digital culture theory to frame your argument and illuminate your analysis. Why these three concepts?  How do they advance and illuminate the analysis you advance in your essay?  For example, what do these concepts/arguments help us to see that would otherwise be concealed or invisible? You may choose the concepts from  Digital CultureSpreadable Media Interacting with Transmedia Panel (Google Hangout),  or supplementary texts of your choice.

3.     Discuss your two digital/online projects through the lens of the three concepts that you are selecting. Analyze the: how, why, form, function, meaning, implications, themes. Review your weekly writings for your own questions and insights – there will be a lot of valuable material to work with that you have already articulated.

4.     Please be sure to organize your argument so that theories and analysis are integrated in the flow of the essay. The three concepts you choose are the armature on which to hang a grounded analysis of the actual projects.

5.     Proper citation and referencing required.  Use your preferred style guide.

 

 

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