Universität Wien

240086 SE Media technologies as material culture (P4) (2014S)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 24 - Kultur- und Sozialanthropologie
Continuous assessment of course work

Participation at first session is obligatory!
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 40 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Monday 10.03. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Monday 17.03. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Monday 24.03. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Monday 31.03. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Monday 07.04. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Monday 28.04. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Monday 05.05. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Monday 12.05. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Monday 19.05. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Monday 26.05. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Monday 02.06. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Monday 16.06. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Monday 23.06. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock
  • Monday 30.06. 16:45 - 18:15 Hörsaal C, NIG 4. Stock

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Digital media technologies, such as cell and smart phones, laptops, organisers, PDAs, etc., have become important information and communication devices, particularly via the internet. For social and cultural anthropology it is of particular interest how those technologies are integrated and embedded into daily practices, by considering changing sociocultural, political and economic contexts. In this course we focus on the material aspects of those technologies and how they are utilized. Questions about the relevance of material culture for technology appropriation as well as questions about different usage practices in an understanding of technology as material culture are discussed.

Assessment and permitted materials

Course assessment comprises a written report at the end of the semester, the presentation of research projects and the active participation in the course.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

This course gives an overview about material culture as conceptual approach to understand media technologies. The focus is on digital media technologies and how they are integrated and practised in every day life.

Examination topics

By working on different case studies, students get a comparative overview about material culture in the context of media technologies. Students conduct empirical research projects within teams. The university's online learning management system is used to provide resources and content as well as to foster student's exchange and communication beyond the classroom.

Reading list

Appadurai, A. 1986. Introduction: commodities and the politics of value. In A. Appadurai (ed.), The social life of things: Commodities in cultural perspective (pp. 3-63). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Horst, H. & Miller, D. 2006. The cell phone: An anthropology of communication. Oxford: Berg.
Horst, H. & Miller, D. (eds.) 2012. Digital Anthropology. London: Berg.
Miller, D. 1997. Material cultures: Why some things matter. London: Routledge.
Peterson, M. A. 2003. Anthropology and mass communication: Media and myth in the new millennium. New York: Berghahn.
Pfaffenberger, B. 1988. Fetishised objects and humanised nature: Towards an anthropology of technology. Man, 23(2), 236-252.
Pfaffenberger, B. 1992. Social anthropology of technology. Annual Review of Anthropology, 21, 491-516.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:39