This introduction to cultural studies enlists science fiction and cultural critique in an examination of new information and bio technologies and the larger networks within which they are embedded. The latter include governmental institutions, capitalism, and culture. Four questions will direct our study: 1. how are these technologies, their access and use shaped by the networks within which they exist; 2. what new forms of being in the world have these technologies introduced; 3. what opportunities for domination and resistance do they open up; 4. what futures do they portend. Students are expected to participate actively in class discussions, generate short critical responses to assigned readings, contribute to a group project, and produce a final (7-8 page) cultural studies essay or an alternative to it. We’ll begin our investigation by putting a few critical works on our present condition in conversation with the classic 1980’s science fiction film, Bladerunner. There are three versions of this film, a topic worth discussing in itself, but we will focus on the “final cut”. Seeing comparing all three is worthwhile, but for this class I strongly recommend previewing the final cut.

Required Texts in the order that we’ll take them up are a course packet (to be available at Ave Copy) and the following novels: William Gibson, Neuromancer, Octavia Butler, Dawn; Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake.