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'''Dead Media Research Studio'''
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'''Media Archaeology'''
  
This course is devoted to media archaeology, that is, historical research on forgotten, obsolete, or otherwise “dead” media technologies. Examples range from Athanasius Kircher’s seventeenth-century magic lantern to the common slide projector, discontinued by Kodak in 2004. Our goal is to acquire the skills and resources necessary for producing rigorous scholarship on obsolete and obscure media. It will include an exposure to recent contributions to the field of media archaeology; an intensive introduction to research methods; instruction on the localization and utilization of word, image, and sound archives; and a continuing emphasis on the need to restore media artifacts to their proper social and cultural context. The course stems from the premise that media archaeology is best undertaken, like any archaeological project, collaboratively. Hence the course follows a research studio model commonly used in disciplines such as architecture.
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This course is devoted to media archaeology, that is, historical research into forgotten, obsolete, neglected or otherwise dead media technologies. Depending on our understanding of “media” — one of the questions we’ll discuss — these might include forms as diverse as typewriters, phonographs, Polaroid photography, prison tattoo codes and the Victorian language of floral bouquets, outmoded video game platforms, computing systems, and musical instruments, smoke signals, scent organs, shorthand notation, and rocket mail delivery. Our premise is that understanding these things can help us gain a better sense of the development, meaning and legacy of media technologies, now and in the future; our goal is to introduce students to the skills and resources necessary for producing rigorous research on such obsolete and obscure media. The course will include an exposure to scholarship in media archaeology; an intensive introduction to research methods; finding and exploring word, image, and sound archives; and the restoration of media artifacts to their deep social, cultural and personal context. The course stems from the premise that media archaeology is best undertaken, like any archaeological project, collaboratively: we will follow a hands-on research studio model commonly used in disciplines such as architecture or design.
  
Course requirements consist of archival research for textual, visual, and sonic material. After a three-week introduction to the methodology of media archaeology, students will begin to work in small groups on specific research topics. Each topic is pursued over a four-week period. Upon completion of one topic a new topic is selected and the cycle repeats itself. Each student group produces a coauthored research dossier containing texts, images, and, when appropriate, sounds on the given topic. The dossiers are published online using Wiki software. Classroom time consists of each student group presenting its research findings for the week, followed by criticism and feedback from the instructors and other students. Since the weekly course requirements are relatively demanding, the course does not have any additional exams or papers. Over the course of the semester a collection of research dossiers accumulates based on the student work. These remain online as public documents, accessible both to other students as well as the general public.
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[http://finnb.net/a/fall2010syllabus.pdf Fall 2010 syllabus]
  
= Dossiers =  
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= Dossiers--Fall 2010 =  
  
[[Pneumatic Tubes]]
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<categorytree mode=pages hideroot=on>Fall 2010</categorytree>
  
[[Hotel Annunciator]]
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= Dossiers--Spring 2010 =
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<categorytree mode=pages hideroot=on>Spring 2010</categorytree>
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= Browse the Archive =
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* by [[Special:Categories|category]]
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* by date: [[:Category:Fall 2010|Fall 2010]] / [[:Category:Spring 2010|Spring 2010]]
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* by [[:Category:Dossier|alphabetical list]]
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= Start a New Dossier =
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* Read how to [[Start a New Dossier]]
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* Browse through a list of [[:Category:Proposed Dossier|proposed dossiers]] that are available to start
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= Critical Techniques =
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As a group we are developing a series of [[Critical Techniques]] that help facilitate the analysis of dead media artifacts.
  
[[Newspaper via Radio Facsimile]]
 
  
 
= Background =
 
= Background =
  
Some entries in the archive are drawn from the [http://www.deadmedia.org Dead Media Project], an email list devoted to the topic started by [http://www.well.com/conf/mirrorshades Bruce Sterling] and more recently moderated by Tom Jennings. Ironically their email list is now dead.  
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Some entries in the archive are drawn from the [http://www.deadmedia.org Dead Media Project], an email list devoted to the topic started by [http://www.well.com/conf/mirrorshades Bruce Sterling] and more recently moderated by Tom Jennings. The email list is now dead.
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= Links =
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[http://www.experimentaljetset.nl/lostformats/01.html Lost formats]
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[http://obsoleteskills.com/ Obsolete Skills]
  
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[http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/09/19/magazine/classroom-technology.html/ The Evolution of Classroom Technology]
  
 
= Special Pages =
 
= Special Pages =

Latest revision as of 02:25, 24 November 2010

Media Archaeology

This course is devoted to media archaeology, that is, historical research into forgotten, obsolete, neglected or otherwise dead media technologies. Depending on our understanding of “media” — one of the questions we’ll discuss — these might include forms as diverse as typewriters, phonographs, Polaroid photography, prison tattoo codes and the Victorian language of floral bouquets, outmoded video game platforms, computing systems, and musical instruments, smoke signals, scent organs, shorthand notation, and rocket mail delivery. Our premise is that understanding these things can help us gain a better sense of the development, meaning and legacy of media technologies, now and in the future; our goal is to introduce students to the skills and resources necessary for producing rigorous research on such obsolete and obscure media. The course will include an exposure to scholarship in media archaeology; an intensive introduction to research methods; finding and exploring word, image, and sound archives; and the restoration of media artifacts to their deep social, cultural and personal context. The course stems from the premise that media archaeology is best undertaken, like any archaeological project, collaboratively: we will follow a hands-on research studio model commonly used in disciplines such as architecture or design.

Fall 2010 syllabus

Dossiers--Fall 2010


Dossiers--Spring 2010


Browse the Archive


Start a New Dossier


Critical Techniques

As a group we are developing a series of Critical Techniques that help facilitate the analysis of dead media artifacts.


Background

Some entries in the archive are drawn from the Dead Media Project, an email list devoted to the topic started by Bruce Sterling and more recently moderated by Tom Jennings. The email list is now dead.


Links

Lost formats

Obsolete Skills

The Evolution of Classroom Technology

Special Pages

Upload a File

All Pages

All Uploaded Files