Primary Texts
Books (Print or eBook; Any edition)
- Neuromancer (1984), William Gibson
- The Ghost in the Shell, Vol. 1 (1991), Shirow Masamune
- Machinehood (2022), S. B. Divya
Films (Available online)
- Bladerunner, The Final Cut (1982), Ripley Scott
- Sleep Dealer (2018), Alex Rivera
Albums (Available online)
- Dirty Computer (2018), Janelle Monáe
Secondary Texts
Essays (Provided online)
- Ashby, “It’s Time to Reimagine the Future of Cyberpunk” (2021)
- Clarke, “Machines, AIs, Cyborgs, Systems” (2020)
- Dirlik, “Global South: Predicament and Promise” (2007)
- Erikson, “The Aesthetics of Cyberpunk” (1991)
- Haraway, “A Cyborg Manifesto” (1985)
- Lopéz, “The (Post)Global South” (2007)
- Malik, “Humanism, Antihumanism, and the Radical Tradition” (2012)
- Schmeink, “Biopunk: Posthuman Survival in the Anthropocene” (2020)
- Taylor, “Fleshing Out the Maelstrom: Biopunk & the Violence of Information” (2010)
Technology
This class is being taught asynchronously. An asynchronous online course is a fully online course with no face-to-face class sessions; thus, no meeting days or times are listed in the schedule of classes. All course activity is conducted online. This means you can access the course when it’s convenient for you while still meeting the deadlines posted in the syllabus and on Brightspace. Online asynchronous courses use Brightspace and other third-party digital tools for class activities including lecture delivery, assignments, and exams, as well as class communications.
In order to succeed in this class, you will need access to a computer (a tablet is fine, for the most part, but a phone is not) and reliable access to the internet to view and respond to video lectures, to engage with your classmate, to complete and submit assignments, to read and annotate texts, and to keep track of your grades. Not all of the online tools we will use will work properly on a smart phone. Please see me if you anticipate any difficulties with this.
Instructional Continuity
It is your responsibility to be aware of any changes to our schedule. As this course is being taught asynchronously, we should not have to worry about any minor interruptions to the course schedule, such as short-term campus closures. In the event the university cancels classes for more than a day or the residents of New Orleans need to evacuate the region, once you arrive at a safe location, log into Brightspace and check your email for updates, as the class will resume as soon as possible. Given the severity of the situation, changes to the syllabus and the semester schedule may be necessary.
Technology Assistance
Accessibility
I am committed to the principles of universal design for learning (UDL). This means that our face-to-face and virtual spaces, our practices, and our interactions will be as inclusive as possible. All course content is designed to work with screen readers. All required content videos are captioned. Supplementary videos include text summaries.
Please let me know if you have any problems accessing any of the course content.
System/Device Preferences
Browser Preferences: Although this is a traditional face-to-face class, we will use Brightspace for communication, collaboration, resources, etc. To eliminate technical difficulties with using Brightspace, you should make sure you use a web browser that is compatible with this version of Brightspace. Refer to this list of acceptable browsers. You can test your browser by using the System Check link below.
Brightspace Preferences: Account Settings and Notifications allow you to select your personal preferences. You should customize your account settings and notification preferences. Refer to the Brightspace Account Settings – Learner video and Brightspace Notifications – Learner video for information on this.
Mobile Devices: This version of Brightspace was designed with a responsive design. Therefore you do not need a special app to use Brightspace on your mobile device. However, you may want to download the Brightspace Pulse app to your mobile device to help you keep track of important updates. The Pulse app brings news, deadlines, and grades together in one place. With the Pulse app, you can check your upcoming readings, assignments, and tests quickly to make better decisions about how to handle your workload.
System Check
Use the automated system check to check if your web browser is properly configured to use Brightspace.
Help and Tech Support
If you are having technical difficulty, please feel free to reach out to me. While I may not be able to solve the problem, I may be able to direct you to someone who can. However, you may also be able to find the solution in one of these resources:
- Xavier’s ITC HelpDesk: If you are having trouble logging into any of Xavier’s systems.
- Student Laptop/Tablet Loaner Program: If you need to borrow a laptop or table computer for part or all of the semester.
- Brightspace Help: If you are having trouble with a specific task or page in Brightspace.
- YouTube Help Center: If you are having trouble accessing any of the videos in this class.
- Zoom Help Center: If you are having trouble accessing a Zoom meeting.