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POL 507
~ Power, Change, and Technology ~
Sections 021 and 041
Department of Politics and Public Administration
Ryerson University
Fall 2013
Time/Location: Wednesdays, 11am-1pm – KHE 225; Fridays, 2-3pm – KHE 221
Instructor: Dr. Matthew Flisfeder
Email: mflisfed@arts.ryerson.ca
Office: JOR-701
Office Hours: Fridays, 1-2pm
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
How does technology shape society? How does it shape us? On what basis are
decisions made in a technological society? What type of future will modern
technology create? Who is in control? This course will examine the impact of
technology on cultural, economic and political life in modern society. The political
implications of future developments in reproductive and biotechnologies, global
communications, automation, etc. will be evaluated.
This course takes a critical approach. Our objective is to develop and build upon a
critical reading of power and change in technological society. In order to do so,
students will draw upon critical theories of power and technology. The aim of the
course is not to suggest that technology determines society, nor is it to argue that
technology has a negative impact on society. Rather, in this course, we will examine
how the role played by technology in meeting the needs of people in society is based
largely upon relations of power and control. Put simply, the argument to be made in
the course is that those who have the most power and control over technology
generally hold more power. Technology is thus an object of political struggle, and
those who wish to change society require an appropriate availability of technology
in their hands.
* Some items in this course outline may be subject to change, in which case changes
will be discussed in class and posted on Blackboard at least two weeks in advance.
This is an upper-level liberal studies elective.
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REQUIRED TEXTS:
POL 507 Fall 2013 Course Reading Package.
Available at the Ryerson Book Store, 105 Bond St.
Some readings are also available on e-reserves on Blackboard
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING:
Assignment
Short Writing Assignment
Midterm Exam
Long Writing Assignment
Final Exam
Participation
Grade Weight
15%
25%
20%
30%
10%
Due Date
October 9th, 2013
October 23rd, 2013
November 22nd, 2013
TBD
Cumulative
Short Writing Assignment – 15% - October 9th, 2013
Length: 2-3 pages
For this assignment, you are required to write an essay that develops out of your
understanding and approach to course readings and lectures. Only course
readings may be consulted for this assignment.
Topics:
1) How does technology figure into struggles over power? In your essay, you
must refer to Michel Foucault’s theory of ‘power’ and the distinction between
‘prescriptive’ and ‘holistic’ technologies as they are discussed by Ursula
Franklin.
2) What are some of the dominant ideologies that have structured the discourse
on technology? How do these ideologies relate to political struggle? In your
essay, discuss Raymond Williams’ critique of ‘technological determinism’.
Long Writing Assignment – 20% - November 22nd, 2013
Length: 5-6 pages
For this assignment you must consult course readings and at least two non-course
articles from scholarly/academic journals, NOT BOOKS. You may not use journal
articles from business, trade, or psychology journals. Newspapers, magazines,
general (i.e., non-scholarly) websites, encyclopaedias, dictionaries, blogs, etc., are
not acceptable scholarly/academic sources. Articles from academic/scholarly
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journals in the fields of politics, society, media, technology, and culture, are
acceptable.
Topics:
1) Explain Michel Foucault’s theory of ‘panopticism’. How does it relate to
surveillance in technological society? How does panopticism relate to
power? What does Thomas Mathiesen’s theory of ‘synopticism’ add to
Foucault’s theory? In your essay, you must refer to examples from everyday
life to make your argument.
2) How does Foucault’s theory of ‘biopolitics’ relate to ‘society of control’?
Using these ideas, discuss some of the ways that networked media are
implicated in the reproduction of power in society.
Guidelines for Written Assignments
All written assignments must begin with an introduction that explains the main
argument or thesis that is going to be developed in the rest of your essay.
Arguments must then proceed logically and build upon your main argument/thesis.
Your essay will be marked based on your understanding of the essay question, your
ability to synthesize ideas from course readings/lectures, the clarity and structure
of your arguments, the originality of your ideas/arguments, and your ability to
present your own voice in written form. Higher grades will be awarded to work that
goes above and beyond the requirements for the assignment.
All writing assignments must be double-spaced, in 12pnt Times New Roman or
Cambria font, with page numbers. Margins must be set at 1.25”. Please ensure
that your name is on the first page of each written assignment. Bibliographies or
works cited should appear on a new page at the end of your work. Use an APA style
guide for all written assignments. Use internal citation; neither footnotes nor
endnotes are acceptable for referencing sources (use endnotes only for information
that is related, but not pertinent to your essay). All written assignments must have
a title (be creative). Do not submit title pages! All pages must be stapled;
assignments bound by a paper clip or folder will not be accepted.
Grading Schema
A Range (Above 80%) – Excellent. Work is original, clear, and demonstrates an indepth knowledge and understanding of the course material and its relation to larger
social, cultural, and political concerns/problematics.
B Range (70-79%) – Good. Work is clear and demonstrates an in-depth knowledge
of the course material.
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C Range (60-69%) – Average. Meets the requirements of the assignment with a fair
comprehension of the course material.
D Range (50-59%) – Satisfactory. Meets the minimal requirements of the
assignment.
F (Below 50%) – Unsatisfactory. Does not meet the requirements of the assignment
and does not demonstrate an understanding of course material.
Grade Appeals
Grade appeals will be considered no sooner than one week following the return of
graded work, and only with a written response to grading comments, indicating
evidence of where you believe extra marks should be awarded. By submitting
assignments for a grade appeal you acknowledge the possibility of a mark/grade
demotion should I feel that the original mark/grade was in fact higher than
deserving.
Midterm Exam – 25%
Format: TBD
Will cover material from weeks one to six.
Final Exam – 30%
Format TBD
Cumulative and will cover material from the entire course.
Participation – 10%
You are expected to attend classes regularly, and be prepared to make informed
contributions to class discussions, having completed assigned readings prior to the
classes for which they are assigned. Participation is also based upon timely and
appropriate submission of assignments and appreciable endeavours to improve
academic and learning skills. Attendance will be taken each week, and poor
attendance will result in a lower participation mark.
POLICY ON LATE ASSIGNMENTS
Late assignments will be deducted one mark per day (off of your final grade).
Students should submit late assignments (hard copy) directly to me (not the drop
box), but may send a digital copy by email beforehand for date verification only. A
hard copy of your assignment is required for grading. Late assignments will not
be accepted one week after the scheduled due date (unless there is a legitimate
reason, which will require official documentation).
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Extensions: If you feel that you might need an extension on an assignment, please
speak with me at least one week prior to the assignment deadline. Granting of
extensions is solely at my discretion, and only if, after speaking with me, I feel that
your reason for needing an extension is justified. Otherwise, extensions will be
granted only under extenuating circumstances, in which case official documentation
will be required in order to justify the submission of a late assignment. Extensions
will not be granted after the deadline has already passed.
EMAIL
Please review the course outline before asking questions by email. I will not
respond to email questions if the answers can easily be found in course
materials. Please keep emails short. A long email indicates that it might be a better
idea to make an appointment to see me during my office hours. I will not respond
to mark/grade inquiries by email.
POWER POINT SLIDES
Power point slides will be posted on Blackboard for one week following each lecture
and will not be reposted at the end of the course. Reading power point slides is not
a substitute for doing course readings or attending lectures.
Learning at a university involves listening to and reading the ideas of others, and
sharing your thoughts and interpretations of those ideas with others in both verbal
and written form. This cannot be accomplished simply by reading power point
slides!
COURSE SCHEDULE:
Week One (Sept. 4/6): Course Introductions
Screening: Digital Nation
Week Two (Sept. 11/13): What is ‘Power’? What is ‘Technology’?
Readings:
Ursula Franklin, The Real World of Technology, Chapter I
Michel Foucault, “Truth and Power”
Langdon Winner, “Do Artifacts Have Politics?”
Screening: Nuclear Aftershocks
Week Three (Sept. 18/20): Technology, Culture, and Society
Readings:
Neil Postman, excerpts from Amusing Ourselves to Death
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Raymond Williams, “The Technology and the Society”
Screening: TBD
Week Four (Sept. 25/27): Ideologies of Technology
* Friday: Essay tutorial
Readings:
Jennifer Daryl Slack and J. Macgregor Wise, “Culture and Technology: The
Received View”
Langdon Winner, “Technologies as Forms of Life”
John Street, “The Political Effects of Technology”
Screening: Who Killed the Electric Car?
Week Five (Oct. 2/4): Technology and Labour
Readings:
David Harvey, “What Technology Reveals”
David Harvey, “Machinery and Large-Scale Industry”
Tiziana Terranova, “Free Labour”
Week Six (Oct. 9/11): Scientific Management and Political Struggle
*Short Writing Assignment Due at the Beginning of Class on Oct. 9th
* Midterm Exam Review on Oct. 11
Readings:
Jennifer Daryl Slack and J. Macgregor Wise, “Luddism”
David Harvey, “Fordism”
Matthew Stewart, “The Management Myth” (e-Reserve)
Screening: Clockwork
*REMINDER: READING WEEK OCT. 14-18 NO CLASSES SCHEDULED!!
Week Seven (Oct. 23/25):
Midterm Exam on October 23rd
Return and Discussion of Short Writing Assignment on October 25th
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Week Eight (Oct. 30/Nov. 1): Democracy and the Public Sphere
Readings:
Tiziana Terranova, “Communication Biopower”
Jodi Dean, “Communicative Capitalism” (e-reserve)
Christian Fuchs, “Wikileaks: Power 2.0? Surveillance 2.0? Criticism 2.0?
Alternative Media 2.0? A Political Economic Analysis” (e-reserve)
Screening: Wikileaks: Wikirebels (or Wiki Secrets)
Week Nine (Nov. 6/8): Discipline and Surveillance
*November 8th meet at Yonge/Dundas Square
Readings:
Michel Foucault, “Panopticism”
Thomas Mathiesen, “The Viewer Society: Michel Foucault’s ‘Panoticon’
Revisited” (e-reserve)
Week Ten (Nov. 13/15): Biopolitical Production and the Society of Control
*Friday: Essay tutorial
Readings:
Herbert Marcuse, “The New Forms of Control”
Gilles Deleuze, “Society of Control”
Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri, “Biopolitical Production”
Week Eleven (Nov. 20/22): Technology, Subjectivity, and Identity
*Long Writing Assignment Due at the Beginning of Class on Nov. 22nd
Readings:
N. Katherine Hayles, “Toward Embodied Virtuality”
Slavoj Žižek, “No Sex Please, We’re Posthuman” (e-reserve)
Sherry Turkle, “Whiter Psychoanalysis in Computer Culture?” (e-reserve)
Screening: Sherry Turkle: Connected, But Alone? and Amber Case: We Are
All Cyborgs Now; Excerpt from Examined Life
Week Twelve (Nov 27/29): Life and Death: Biogenetics and War
*Friday: Exam Review
Readings:
Philip Boyle, “Genetic Services, Social Context, and Public Priorities”
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Ralph W. Trottier, “Genetics in Public Health: Implications of Genetic
Screening and Counseling in Rural and Culturally Diverse Populations”
John Broughton, “The Bomb’s-Eye View: Smart Weapons and Military T.V.”
Roger Stahl, “Have You Played the War on Terror?” (e-Reserve)
Screening: TBD
Students are required to adhere to all relevant university policies, such as the
Student Codes of Academic and Non-academic Conduct, Examination Policy,
and Undergraduate Academic Consideration and Appeals.
The guide to academic integrity is available on the Academic Integrity
website: www.ryerson.ca/ai.
All students must have a Ryerson email account. The instructor will only
respond to email inquiries from a Ryerson email address.
RYERSON ACADEMIC POLICIES:
For more information on Ryerson’s academic policies, visit the Senate website at
www.ryerson.ca/senate.
Course Management Policy No. 145
Student Code of Conduct No. 60
Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct No. 61
Examination Policy No. 135
Policy on Grading, Promotion, and Academic Standing Policy No. 46
Undergraduate Academic Consideration and Appeals Policy No. 134
Accommodation of Student Religious Observance Obligations No. 150