ETEC 511 - Discourse Leadership
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Authors:
Deb Giesbrecht (D.G.)
Katie Hay (K.H.)
Mark Reed (M.R.) working on outline for Haraway Oct 3 - 1pm
Robert (MIA no longer) Heinrichs (R.H.)
Nancy Castonguay (n.c.) look for Apple (done) / set up Wiki (done) / 2020 Vision outline &
overview... (done)
I think we have tons of stuff here ... I wouldn't be to concerned with adding more material
... I think that everyone is busy, and succintness (while still being thorough) is appreciated
by all. Thoughts? kh
Introduction: I WILL INSERT THIS DIRECTLY INTO VISTA DEB
Welcome to Module # 5
The Politics and Political Economy of Educational Technology:
Political Foundations
Does Educational Technology have Politics?
Find out on our wiki at etec511dl
All outlines of the readings and discussion questions are posted on the wiki. We invite you
to explore the site; however, we would prefer that all conversation threads be maintained
within Vista, as it is easier to moderate the discussion. A PDF handout is also available to
download off the wiki, for those who would prefer a print out of this section.
We took a path away from the ordinary and decided to look at the Donna Haraway article
through 3 different lenses. We all had similar concepts but each looked at the article in a
slightly different way. All three reviews with discussion questions are posted on the wiki,
with a corresponding thread in Vista.
Feel free to comment on one, or all of them.
Hope you enjoy our site!
Group members are as follows:
Deb Giesbrecht
Katie Hay
Mark Reed
Nancy Castonguay
Readings are:
Haraway, D. (1985). A manifesto for cyborgs.
Socialist Review, 15(2), 65-107.
Apple, M. (1971). The new technology: Is it part of the solution or part of the problem in
education?. Computers in the Schools, 8(1/2/3), 59-8.
Petrina, S. (2006). Politics, Technology, and Values
Petrina, S. (2004). 2020 Vision: On the Politics of Technology
(We can post the above on the Vista site with three alternate threads after that. It would be good
to maintain it all on one site so each of us can moderate the discussions. D.G.) great job Deb. i
will do that as soon as the wiki is viewer-ready. ;0
article 4: Apple, M. (1971). The new technology: Is it part of the solution or part of the problem
in education?. Computers in the Schools, 8(1/2/3), 59-81. i've suggested Robert look at it
article 5: Petrina, S. (2006) Politics, Technology, and Values
1. Outline the readings (primary and secondary sources) and post
this outline to the group. Originally, I thought this map would fit. I'lm not so sure
anymore. Thoughts? kh
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This is great - I forgot about the mindmap in this section and paraphrased
the article from a summary so I will put it in here because I just spent a few
hours on it but that doesnt mean we have to use it. Perhaps in addition to
the Mindmap or perhap that is overkill.
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The following outline is paraphrased from Reading Notes on Donna Haraway’s ‘Cyborg
Manifesto’ by Theresa M. Senft in which she asks the reader to keep in mind that there are other
ways to interpret the manifesto. I have taken what I felt were the most important elements of her
summary.
Mark
2. Provide a brief overview of the readings based on the outline.
article 1: Haraway, D. (1985). A manifesto for cyborgs. Socialist Review, 15(2), 65-107.
-I have scraped my original and recreated my post to be more specifically a
cyborg lens - this is what I would post on the discussion thread for
"interpreting 'A Manifesto for Cyborgs' through a lens of the Cyborg as a
metaphor for the hybridization of human and technology today"
I
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n order to frame your perspective or create a lens with which to view Haraway’s work
and respond to the discussion question we invite you to read the following material
discussing her essay.
Donna Haraway uses the metaphor of a cyborg to illustrate how the differences in
gender that have dominated human thought in the past are now being merged into a
new hybrid being. Thus the concept of a cyborg illustrates the effect that technology is
having on humans in all aspects of life. By examining the cyborg as a cultural
construction she extrapolates this view to include how we view humanity. On another
level Haraway challenges traditional feminism to not lock the door on what is feminism
simply creating another stereotype that women must measure themselves against. The
cyborg is a useful metaphor for this because they resist the concept of individualism and
allow us to begin exploring the power of the network that is enabled by communication
technologies today. Haraway explores the potential for cyborg politics to embody a
future that is not dominated by negative images of scientific progress such as acid rain,
nuclear waste, deforestation etc but is as, Haraway is quoted in Theresa M. Sendft’s
notes (2001) on the Cyborg Manifesto, trying to create an argument for "pleasure in the
confusion of boundaries and for responsibility in their construction. " In looking at the
development of cyborg history it is easy to see that this is not a new concept but one
that has taken on a new significance due to the rapid emergence of new technology
toward the end of this century. The image of humans as Chimeras (p. 8) means we are
constructed and so are our conceptions of humanity or gender.
The significance of her work and why it is so popular with academics around the world
is that she has challenged us to not think as individuals but as part of the collective (the
new way of looking at the world and how we interact with it). The idea that feminists are
supposed to be in touch with nature does not resonate with Haraway as evidenced by
her statement “I’d rather be a Cyborg then a Goddess” (add year, page #) Why not?
Cyborgs can be built to do anything and they are not constrained by traditional gender
stereotypes– Terminator 3 was as lethal as Arnold. Through the lens of a cyborg
metaphor, the destiny for the human race is a myriad of possible outcomes – whether it
is good or bad is a matter of perspective and definition in which it is possible to redefine
or accomplish anything given technology. Another theme illustrated by the cyborg
metaphor is that technology has transformed human potential from the individual to the
network and the ability to construct networks that advocate and facilitate change, growth
and development of ideas. This ideal has spawned a new era of boldness and new
security to move forward as a group instead of remaining stationary and insulated from
the world around us. One characteristic of the "Borg" in Star Trek is that it learns and
adapts from its mistakes to become stronger in the relentless pursuit of its goals.
In her discussion of rice, Haraway is attempting to capture the essence of a shift away
from the abstract and incorporate a belief in the actual concept of humans as cyborg the cohabitation between science and culture, organism and machine, fiction and
reality. “I think the issues that really matter - who lives, who dies, and at what price these political questions are embodied in technoculture. They can't be got at in any
other way." International border controls, the question of natural versus artificial, the
ethics of agribusiness, and even the politics of labor regulation are networked together
with the biology of rice plants and pests. This is the politics that we are seeking to
understand in module 5 or as Haraway would define them, "technoculture". “If we're
going to build a humane technoculture, instead of a Kafkaesque nightmare, we would
do well to listen to what she has to say” (Kunzru, 1997, p.5). The significance of
Haraway's ideas and the fervor that her paper stimulated in academic discourse can be
summarized by this thought, "Technology is not neutral. We're inside of what we make,
and it's inside of us. We're living in a world of connections - and it matters which ones
get made and unmade." (Haraway, D., 1991 p.
References
Haraway, Donna. (1991) "A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist-Feminism in
the Late Twentieth Century," in Simians, Cyborgs and Women: The Reinvention of Nature (New
York; Routledge), pp.149-181.
Kunzru, H. (1997). You Are Cyborg. Wired, 5. Retrieved Sept 27, 2008 from
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/5.02/ffharaway.html
Senft, Theresa M. (2001). "Reading Notes on Donna Haraway's 'Cyborg Manifesto.'"
Retrieved Oct 2, 2008 from http://www.echonyc.com/~janedoe/writing/manifesto.html
Discussion question and task
The image of a Cyborg espouses the reality today that it is no longer possible to simply define
the boundary between human and machine in that we are inextricably linked to technology in our
everyday lives. And this is not just in the obvious ways such as cell phones but in the shoes we
wear, the foods we eat, etc. How does the image of “cyborg” represent for you the political,
theomorphic, or futuristic aspirations of Western European technoculture?
In this discussion thread we would like you to share a description of one image that demonstrates
for you the hybridization of technology and human to create a vision of cyborg. You may choose
to do this from literature, in any era past, present or future or it can be from your own experience
and post your description with a picture if possible to your portfolio. (if they post to their
portfolio, will people make the effort to go seek them out? Was the picture to be of their created
cyborg? kh) I originally thought that people could give a written description of their cyborg in
the discussion menu (WebCt) but a picture to their portfolio would be an extra but also a link for
them to remember this section/Discussion of the course.
Lens # 3 - DG
In her book, A Manifesto for Cyborgs: Science, Technology, and the Socialist Feminism in the
1980’s, (should the title be italicized? kh) Donna Haraway depicts the intertwined relationship of
science and technology from the viewpoint of a feminist. She herself is a self-described postmodern feminist, trying to identify the relationship between women, technology, capitalism and
their influences in a mainly patriarchal world.
Cyborgs
Cyborgs: part human and part machine. Technology, as it seems, can change our own identities,
and is in fact, an extension of ourselves. In this abstract rationalization, culture and nature are
reworked, resulting in a descendant of militarism, patriarchal capitalism and socialism (p. 68).
The cyborg becomes a ‘ disassembled and reassembled post –modern collective and personal
self’ (p. 82). The cyborgs do not have control, however, as there are social and political
boundaries that are created.
Feminism
Science and technology bring with it power from a patriarchal perspective. How does technology
impact women and their future? By changing the status of women. The division of labor and our
identity as women and men changes as the relationship between science and technology
advances. Women are no longer reduced to reproductive commodities or an unskilled labor force
and are elevated in the capitalistic world that drives the production of supply and demand.
Women are not automatically drawn to each other just because they are women – there remain
gender/race/ class distinctions which are constantly in a state of flux. Technology does have the
capacity, however, to bring about a world without gender and race (p.100).
Science and Technology
He who controls technology also holds the power. Technology is not politically neutral. Science
and technology bring with it patriarchal power that have many influences in the world. Power is
reinforced by the tools that are used. Since the tools of the cyborg are writing, cyborg politics
centre around language politics and the constructive meaning that stem from a patriarchal
hierarchy. Women can have a significant impact on the future by penetrating the social
relationships of science and technology, and positively impacting the world around them. Klein
offers an intriguing question though: Does technology serve women or are we serving it?
References
Keen, C. (2008). Carolyn Keenon Haraway, on 'Cyborg Manifesto.Retrieved Oct1, 2008
from http://www.english.upenn.edu/~jenglish/Courses/keen2.html. (this is how I've done the
referencing in the past. perhaps there is more than one way? kh)
Klein, R.(2008). The Politics of CyberFeminism: If I'm a cyborg rather than a goddess
willpatriarchy go away? http://www.spinifexpress.com.au/cf/cfrenate.htm. Retrieved 2008-1001.
Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Haraway . Retrieved 2008-10-01.
Discussion Question: THIS
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Presently we are going through a cultural and technological revolution. Technology is
changing at a very rapid pace, and along with it so are our identities. The tools we use are no
longer simple commodities, but have become a complex matrix of gadgets and devices, with
savvy advertisers vying for our hard-earned dollars.
The following website advertises the cell phone as a digital extension of oneself
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/blogs/txt/archive/?postID=6896 and compares the cell
phone to ‘a pair of digital handcuffs’. What other examples can be sited as being an extension
of humans in the private or public arena?
Why not do the outline as a concept map and the overview of the articles in
powerpoint? sure... but that would be a classic case of
Powerpointlessness?...I think the purpose would be to highligh the use of
different mediums, instead of a 'read access' format that tends to loose the
readers attention(DG) Possibly all encapsulated in a wiki? in my opinion, it
might be best to write up the summaries as a pdf doc? or even to just create
a wiki for the summaries... insert the Cmap overview? etc? (n.c.) (Does
anyone know how to do that?) (D.G)
reviewsTHIS CONTENT HAS BEEN INSERTED
Scott, Krista. "Haraway, Donna". Retrieved on 2008-09-29. (n.c.)
In this article, Scott explains the cyborg metaphor as described in Haraway's
'A manifesto for cyborgs'. Haraway exposes the social and political irony in the historical
construct of nature's relationship to culture, as pertains to characterizing human beings.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Haraway (D.G)
http://www.english.upenn.edu/~jenglish/Courses/keen2.html (D.G)
article 2: 2020 Vision: On the Politics of Technology
- Outline (n.c.) doneTHIS
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In this article, Petrina stresses the importance of politics in technological ventures. To rattle our
senses, he paints a grim picture of the year 2020 as it pertains to current trends in education and
world politics. He explains that while the average person does not appear to have much say in the
life cycle of technology, through education and everyday choice-making everyone could
ultimately have a say. What is more, Petrina warns us about the implications of corporate
domination over technology, something he sees as being in direct conflict with our fundamental
rights and freedoms.
article 2: 2020 Vision: On the Politics of Technology
- Overview (n.c.) done
What Petrina wants us to think about is this: What does the future look like? Most importantly,
what do we want it to look like? How do we get there? Mitsubishi robots visiting massage
parlors, retinal scanning security devices, a recovering environment overshadowed by the threats
of biohazards, these are common perceptions of the future in sci-fi movies. Are the portrayals of
a world plagued with cyber crime, crumbling economies and commercially owned human beings
‘a dystopian view of 2020 or realistic pessimism?’(Petrina, 2004) What Petrina suggests is that
these scenarios may not be as far-fetched as we might like to think they are. Furthermore, if we
do not start paying close attention to what is going on around us and fighting for stronger
advocacy surrounding technology, we just may end up with the short end of the stick after the
‘spin-doctors’ have long gone.
Technological advances are altering, and will continue to alter our way of life. What this change
will look like will depend on the cohesiveness of visions, values, interest and agendas from
around the world. Petrina argues that in order for public interest to best be served, the power to
make decisions about technology will have to be redistributed. Corporations, such as Microsoft
and Nike, have established firm control over what technology we use, and how we use it.
Governmental policies are shaped by the world’s dependence on cheap energy. Yet we, as the
average Joes and Josephines, have the power to play an important role in the future politics of
technology.
Wrestling control out of the hands of multinationals is not an easy feat. However, Petrina
underlines that ‘[global] powers have entered into a desperate alliance to defend markets and
property rights’ from movements such as the open source movement. (Petrina, 2004) That is,
because of the current trends of open sharing in the world, corporations are loosing some of their
power on production. What is more, Petrina believes that through awareness and initiative,
everyday people can become key players in the life cycle of technology. How we participate in
the global economy, for example, can influence the source of production. When we watch the
World Cup or buy a Barbie doll, we are in essence saying that it’s ok to exploit the poverty
stricken people of the developing world. Every action that we engage in tells politicians what we
are, and are not willing to go along with.
In brief, Petrina provides a good dose of reality, and invokes the consciousness of the average
person, especially that of educators. He asserts that while there is a game-play behind how
technology is developed, used and disposed of, we can still be powerful actors by first, educating
ourselves, and then educating others.
Article # 3 Petrina
Politics, Technology and Values
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Technology is value laden…..whether the consumer realizes it or not, technology holds within its
palms moral and ethical issues that intertwine into socially complex dilemmas.
In this review, Petrina argues that values and technology are embedded in each other. Power,
concentration, centralization, intensification, magnification, finality, persistence, scale and scope
are all important values that are characterized by modern technology. Capitalism has fueled these
values as the need to become stronger, faster and more efficient, with an even smaller budget, is
in high demand. Values are driven by the consumer who demands convenience, choice,
efficiency and free enterprise (p.2). Consumer agendas do not necessarily have a positive impact
on society, and invariably conflicts arise. There is capacity to live harmoniously with technology,
the environment and humans, but consideration for social, moral, and ethical consciousness must
be evident in the developing and implementing of any technology.
3. Define key terms or methodological and theoretical concepts that
are challenging.THIS
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essentialism: in this context, that gender and race can be defined by a set
of characteristics (n.c.)
Oedipus complex: Freudian psychoanalysis in which the child bares hatred
for the same-sex parent and love for the opposite-sex parent (n.c.)
cyborg theory: the idea that technologies are an extension of the human
body (n.c.)
marxism: principles that aim to critique the capitalist system (n.c.)
marxist feminism: the idea that the capitalist system is at the root of
women's oppression (n.c.)
social feminism: the idea that the oppression of women stems from both
private and public spheres (n.c.)
epistemology: the definition or theory of knowledge (n.c.)
Social Shaping of Technology:
the idea that artifacts are constructed according to concious or unconcious design influences that
have profound influence on the people using them.
Social construction of Technology:
The shaping of technology through human action
Technological Determinism:
The shaping of society and culture as a result of technological innovations.
Black Box
Is a conceptual representation of any device, system or object that is viewed in terms of input and
output that has been affected in some manner. The significance for this discussion is the absence
of a viewer from the outside being aware or knowledgeable about what is happening inside the
black box and hence their inability to affect any change or input into the process occurring within
the black box. Other scenarios would include a person inside the black box who is in control or
has influence on what is happening in the black box but is not knowledgable about what effect it
is having on the outside world. Also a white box would have a transparency of affect from the
outside influences or knowledgable effects from within the box. A further significance is the
power associated with controlling the output of the black box and the ramifications on the
environment the output has influence over.
Central to the ideas espoused by Robin Williams and David Edge is the thesis that
academics exploring the implications regarding the social shaping of technology (SST) are
united in the concern that the 'black box' of technology must be opened to allow the general
population to be aware of and have some influence over the 'interests' or politics that are
embedded in technological innovations.
Cyberfeminism - Cyberfeminism, says Sadie Plant, director of the Centre
for Research into Cybernetic Culture at Warwick University in
England, is "an alliance between women, machinery, and new
technology. There's a long-standing relationship between
information technology and women's liberation." It's a view that is
resonating with feminist thinkers. Academics like Katherine Hayles
have taken Haraway's ideas into literary theory, while male-tofemale transgendered theorist and performer Allucquère Rosanne
Stone has shocked traditional academia with her eccentric accounts
of the technological transformation of her own body. (reword and
reference)mr
since Descartes announced, "I think, therefore I am," the Western
world has had an unhealthy obsession with selfhood. (mr)
...many terms are provided at the end of the module
4. Design handouts, discussion questions and presentation media for
clarifying the readings. WHAT WE COULD DO HERE WRT THE HANDOUT IS
CREATE A PDF DOCUMENT OF THE ENTIRE CONTENT AND POST IT FOR
THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PRINT A COPY FOR THEIR NOTES??? (sounds
good, kh)
Discussion Question 1: Genetic engineering: the end of race and gender?
(n.c.)THIS
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"Who cyborgs will be is a radical question; the answers are a matter of survival." (Haraway
1985) Technological advances in the field of genetics, and the politics that surround how this
new knowledge will be used, may very well show how technological determinism will affect the
characteristics of the cyborg. Watch the short trailer and discuss the impact of genetic
engineering as it may relate to Haraway's myth of the cyborg?
Gattaca 1997 Movie Trailer (2:27 minutes)
Can we separate technology and our own identity (ie: Could you be 'you' without technology)?
(D.G)
Technology is constantly challenging our identities..........how does race, gender and class fit into
this schemata? (D.G)
Haraway states that one goal of her essay is to argue that there should be "pleasure in the
confusion of the boundaries and [there should be]responsibility in their construction." (p. 66) in
progress ... (kh)
5. Design activities for the group with attention to inclusive
participation.
(maybe the class could build the concept map collaboratively to illustrate
how technology is an extension of the human body (illustrating the cyborg)
using key words or images?) (n.c.)
In this discussion thread we would like you to share a description of one image that
demonstrates for you the hybridization of technology and human to create a vision of
cyborg. You may choose to do this from literature, in any era past, present or future or it
can be from your own experience and post your description with a picture if possible to
your portfolio. (could have a collaborative map of images? - web page but there is no
time!!!!!!)THIS
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6. Moderate and bring closure to the topic for the week.
What might work for us is to wait until most people have
participated in the various discussions, then synthesize their
comments into one section as closure... what does everyone think?
(since many people post later in the week, it might be an idea to
wait until the end of Saturday, summarize, and post Sunday? I don't
mind taking on a summary or two ... especially since all I have
access to is a computer at work right now :( kh) That is some
frustration Katie regarding your computer but I guess part of being a
cyborg - good adaptation - I am fine with your suggestion.mr sure,
good idea katie... in fact this was just an idea... it's all good...
Technology as an extension of the human body concept map? Presentation of the cyborg? Who
cyborgs will be? (CMAP) (n.c.)