TheorySession

Theory Session

Trimester 2, 2009/10: The book, a medium in contention

This trimester, the Theory Session is wrapped into the Thematic Project Do Kindles Dream of Spirit Duplicators; you'll find all information about our readings on its page.

In a nutshell: We are reading media theories and manifestos on the book and on writing by McLuhan?, F.T. Marinetti, El Lissitzky, Roland Barthes, Robert Coover, N. Katherine Hayles, Deleuze/Guattari along with art and media histories of the book in the 20th century by Johanna Drucker and Alessandro Ludovico, and will look at artistic book designs by Sebastian Brant, Aldus Manutius, Laurence Sterne, Stéphane Mallarmé, El Lissitzky, Dieter Roth and others.

Trimester 1, 2009/10: Theories of open networks (accompanying the Thematic Project Open Events)

30/9

What is theory?

7/10

Tatiana Bazzichelli, Networking Cultures, p. 26-29, chapters of your choice, conclusion p. 284-287

14/10

Hakim Bey, The Temporary Autonomous Zone (1991), chapter: Pirate Utopias

28/10

Pierre Levy, The Art of Cyberspace (1994), in: Timothy Druckrey (ed.), Electronic Culture, p. 366-368

John Perry Barlow, The Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace (1996)

4/11

Manuel Castells, The Rise of the Network Society (1996), chapters 1 and 5

11/11

Raymond Williams, Keywords (1976); entries Democracy, Common, Community

19/11

Raymond Williams, Keywords (1976); entry Media

25/11

Wendy Chun, Control and Freedom (2006) - selected chapters

2/12

German Wikipedia controversy [1]

9/12

Geert Lovink, Zero Comments (2008) - Chapter: Blogging, the Nihilist Impulse

Optional readings

Theodor W. Adorno, Max Horkheimer, Dialectics of Enlightenment (1941)

Karl Popper, Open Society and Its Enemies (1945)