Nathaniel  A.  Rivers  I  Saint  Louis  University  I  ENGL  693  I  Summer  2011  I  Page  1  

ENGL 693: Rhetoric, Technology, and Culture Professor:  Dr.  Nathaniel  A.  Rivers  Location:  Des  Peres  Hall  206  Time:  MW  1:00:00  pm  -­‐  4:30:00  pm    

Course Introduction The  ubiquity  of  electronic  communication  and  the  evolution  of  new  media  technologies  (e.g.,  Facebook,  Wikipedia,  and  online  games)  need  no  introduction.  Our  public  and  private  lives  are  increasingly  lived  across  electronic  networks.  We  work,  play,  buy,  learn,  and  create  in  digitally-­‐mediated  social  networks  constructed  of  words,  sounds,  and  images.  Wireless  technologies  and  portable  smart  devices  have  only  accelerated  this  migration.  The  move  toward  networks  of  new  media,  which  has  been  scrutinized  from  any  number  of  critical  perspectives,  has  been  deeply  felt  in  the  areas  of  rhetoric  and  writing.  Both  fields  have  devoted  significant  intellectual  energy  exploring  the  implications  and  promises  of  technology:  what  is  its  impact  on  the  composition  and  distribution  of  texts,  on  the  work  of  persuasion  and  identification,  and  on  the  cultivation  of  ethos  and  identity?     Course Methodology  This  course  and  its  understanding  of  technology  is  grounded  in  the  critical  methodology  of  rhetoric,  which  students  will  hopefully  come  to  value  as  a  productive  method  for  shaping  and  negotiating  their  personal,  professional,  and  technological  lives.  Rhetoric,  briefly  and  broadly  defined,  is  the  use  of  symbols  to  produce  an  effect  (e.g.,  a  verbal  command  to  “Stop,”  a  red  traffic  light,  a  Journey  song  imploring  us  “Don’t’  Stop  Believing,”  or  a  floor  plan  that  makes  it  harder  to  enter  one  room  over  another).  Though  rhetoric  has  become  a  negative  word  within  political  circles  and  contemporary  media,  it  has  a  rich  history  as  one  of  the  oldest  intellectual  pursuits  in  the  western  world.  With  a  focus  on  audience,  

context,  and  the  persuasion  inherent  to  all  human  endeavors,  rhetoric  greatly  informs  the  purpose  of  this  course.  New  technologies  provide  new  ways  of  understanding  the  ancient  art  of  rhetoric,  which  this  course,  borrowing  from  George  Kennedy,  likewise  defines  as  “the  energy  inherent  in  emotion  and  thought,  transmitted  through  a  system  of  signs,  including  language,  to  others  to  influence  their  decisions  or  actions.”  This  definition  will  likely  evolve  over  the  course  of  this  semester.    

This  course  envisions  three  distinct  ways  of  articulating  rhetoric  and  technology:  

technology is a function of rhetorical action

technology functions as a rhetorical agent

rhetoric is a technology

Course Assignments There  are  three  key  assignments  in  this  course.  The  first  two  papers,  each  to  be  written  on  one  8.5x14  sheet  of  paper  (legal  size),  synthesize  readings  that  fall  within  a  particular  phase.  Students  should  address  as  many  of  the  readings  as  possible  (rather  than  simply  doing  a  close  reading  of  one  text):  connections  are  key.  I  expect  that  composing  and  fitting  this  synthesis  onto  on  sheet  of  legal-­‐sized  paper  will  be  difficult.  These  papers  are  then  shared  with  the  class  on  “paper  day.”  That  is,  students  read  aloud  their  papers.  I  cannot  stress  enough  the  performative  nature  of  this  assignment:  papers  should  be  written  to  be  read  

“New  communica-­‐tion  and  informa-­‐tion  technologies  do  not  simply  provide  us  with  new  sites  of  rhetorical  practice;  instead,  they  challenge  us  to  reconceive  rhetoric  altogether.”      

–Collin  Brooke  

Rhetoric  is  “the  energy  inherent  in  emotion  and  thought,  transmitted  through  a  system  of  signs,  including  language,  to  others  to  influence  their  decisions  or  actions.”  

–George  A.  Kennedy  

Nathaniel  A.  Rivers  I  Saint  Louis  University  I  ENGL  693  I  Summer  2011  I  Page  2  

aloud  and  to  engage  other  students.  Rather  than  simply  demonstrating  mastery  of  the  material,  these  papers  should  perform  the  course  readings  in  ways  that  make  them  salient  for  an  audience  of  peers.      

The  final  project  is  a  summary  exploration  of  one  of  the  topics  covered  during  the  course,  which  should  be  read  through  the  readings  from  the  final  phase  of  the  course.  That  is,  students  should  revisit  their  first  two  papers  in  light  of  the  last  two  weeks’  readings.  Complementing  the  summary  paper  in  light  of  both  performativity  and  new  media,  students  will  create  a  trailer  (30  seconds  to  1  minute  long),  which  should  capture  in  some  combination  of  text,  voice,  music,  image,  and/or  video  both  the  thesis  of  the  summary  paper  and  its  significance.  A  sample  trailer  will  be  screened.    

In-­‐class  discussions  will  be  largely  student-­‐driven.  To  this  end,  each  student  is  asked  to  come  to  each  class  with  the  following:    

1. Two  questions  for  each  day’s  set  of  readings  2. A  brief  statement  that  identifies  a  singular  rhythm  within  that  day’s  set  of  readings  

 

The  concept  of  the  singular  rhythm  is  borrowed  from  John  Muckelbauer’s  The  Future  of  Invention.  The  singular  rhythm  is  a  mode  of  engagement  that  seeks,  in  short,  affirmative  and  productive  readings  of  texts.  Affirmative  readings  are  an  alternative  to  common,  critical  engagements  with  texts  that  operate  in  

the  negative  register  (e.g.,  what  this  text  leaves  out,  overlooks,  or  otherwise  excludes,  simplifies,  or  glosses?).  This  is  not  to  say  that  such  readings  are  unproductive  or  unnecessary  (as  such  readings  are  often  both  productive  and  necessary).  It  is  to  suggest  other  ways  of  reading  that  mine  each  and  every  text  for  something  that  can  be  “taken  away,”  “augmented,”  “adopted,”  or  “utilized.”  It  is  a  way  of  reading  that  leaves  the  reader  open  to  persuasion—to  approach  a  text  perfectly  willing  to  be  “converted  to  the  enemy's  camp.”  Affirmative  readings  generate  new  questions,  new  ideas,  and  new  ways  of  thinking.  A  singular  rhythm,  then,  is  a  connective  thread  in  and  between  texts.  Rather  than  privileging  certain  readings,  ranking  them,  or  replacing  them  with  one  another,  the  singular  rhythm  allows  us  to  see  each  reading  as  contributing  to  our  understanding  of  particular  issues  or  themes.  This  mode  of  engagement  likewise  informs  the  longer  course  papers.    

Course Policies Technology Expectations Computer  problems  are  not  valid  excuses  for  incomplete  work.  Practice  the  core  principle  of  digital  data  work:  redundant  backup.  Digital  technology  will  fail;  be  prepared  for  that  eventuality.  Additionally,  students  are  to  expected  to  have  the  following:    

• access  to  word  processing    • a  suitable  email  account  checked  regularly  for  course-­‐related  business    • ability  to  interact  with  websites  • a  Flash  drive  or  other  means  to  backup  coursework  

Personal Technology Devices in the Classroom Students  may  use  laptops,  cell  phones,  and  other  digital  devices  during  class,  provided  that  they  do  not  disrupt  other  students’  learning.  This  is  not  a  trick.  This  course  is  situated  in  an  increasingly  connected  multimedia  environment.  Each  student  is  responsible  for  his  or  her  own  engagement  with  class  meetings,  and  thus  his  or  her  resultant  success  or  failure.    

Late Work Late  work  is  not  accepted.  

Course Assignments Points Paper  Day  Paper  (x2)   25  (50)  Summary  Paper  Trailer     10  Summary  Paper   15  Participation  (attendance,  questions,  rhythms)   25  

Total 100

“The  student  of  media  soon  comes  to  expect  the  new  media  of  any  period  whatever  to  be  classed  as  pseudo  by  those  who  acquired  the  patterns  of  earlier  media,  whatever  they  may  happen  to  be.”      

–Marshall  McLuhan  

Nathaniel  A.  Rivers  I  Saint  Louis  University  I  ENGL  693  I  Summer  2011  I  Page  3  

Attendance & Student Conduct As  a  graduate  level  seminar  driven  by  student  discussion,  attendance  and  participation  in  all  facets  of  the  course  is  essential.  Given  the  vital  importance  of  student  participation,  I  expect  every  student  to  attend  every  class.  If  an  absence  is  unavoidable,  students  are  asked  to  discuss  it  with  me  beforehand  so  that  alternative  arrangements  can  be  made.  Additionally,  insults,  slurs,  or  attacks  of  any  kind  are  not  allowed  in  this  class.  Students  who  engage  in  this  behavior  will  be  permanently  removed  from  the  class.  In  order  to  have  an  effective  teaching  and  learning  environment  we  must  practice  both  respect  and  tolerance.     Course Reading List This  list  organizes  the  course  readings  into  three  phases.  These  three  phases  articulate  related  readings  and  organize  our  thinking  around  specific  issues  or  rhythms  in  rhetorical  theory.  These  phases  are  not  mutually  exclusive;  they  necessarily  bleed  into  one  another.  Students  may  find  many  of  these  readings  difficult.  The  density  of  the  prose,  the  abstractness  of  the  concepts,  and  the  confrontation  of  divergent  viewpoints  and  values  make  this  reading  list  equal  parts  challenging  and  rewarding.  I  fully  expect,  however,  that  genuine  and  generous  engagement  with  these  texts  will  see  students  through  the  semester.    

Phase One: Introducing Rhetoric and Technology Baron,  Dennis.  “From  Pencils  to  Pixels.”    Burke,  Kenneth.  “Terministic  Screens.”    Johnson,  Robert.  Selections  from  User-­‐Centered  Technology.    Kelly,  Kevin.  What  Technology  Wants.  Lanham,  Richard.  “The  ‘Q’  Question.”    Ong,  Walter.  “Writing  as  a  Technology  That  Restructures  Thought.”    Plato.  Phaedrus.  Rheingold,  Howard.  Selections  from  Smart  Mobs.      

Phase Two: Manifesting Pedagogy Anson,  Chris.  “Distant  Voices:  Teaching  and  Writing  in  a  Culture  of  Technology.”  Bernhardt,  Stephen.  "The  Shape  of  Text  to  Come.”  Blackmon,  Samantha.  “(Cyber)Conspiracy  Theories?”  Brooke,  Collin.  Lingua  Fracta:  Toward  a  Rhetoric  of  New  Media.  Colby,  Rebekah  Shultz  &  Richard  Colby.  “A  Pedagogy  of  Play.”  Gee,  James.  “Games  and  Learning.”  Johnson-­‐Eilola,  Johndan,  and  Stuart  Selber.  “Plagiarism,  Originality,  Assemblage.”  

McGonigal,  Jane.  “This  is  Not  a  Game.”  Rice,  Jennifer  Edbauer.  “Rhetoric’s  Mechanics.”  Salvo,  Michael.  “Critical  Engagement  with  Technology  in  the  Computer  Classroom.”  Sheppard,  Jennifer.  “The  Rhetorical  Work  of  Multimedia  Production  Practices.”  Yancey,  Kathleen  Blake,  “Re-­‐Designing  Graduate  Education  in  Composition  and  Rhetoric.”  

Phase Three: Revisiting Rhetorical Technology, Ecology, and Agency Bay,  Jennifer  &  Thomas  Rickert.  “New  Media  and  the  Fourfold.”  Blythe,  Stuart.  “Agencies,  Ecologies,  and  the  Mundane  Artifacts  in  Our  Midst.”    Brooke,  Collin.  “Forgetting  to  be  (Post)Human.”    Clark,  Andy.  Selections  from  Natural-­‐Born  Cyborgs.    Haraway,  Donna.  “A  Manifesto  for  Cyborgs.”  Longo,  Bernadette.  “Human  +  Machine  Culture.”    

Muckelbauer,  John  &  Debra  Hawhee.  “Posthuman  Rhetorics: “It’s  the  Future,  Pikul.”  Rickert,  Thomas.  “In  the  House  of  Doing.”  Rivers,  Nathaniel  &  Jeremy  Tirrell.  “Productive  Strife:  Clark’s  Cognitive  Science  and  Rhetorical  Agonism.”  Turkle,  Sherry.  “Introduction:  The  Things  That  Matter.”    

“All  technology  […]  are  fundamentally  natural.”    

-­‐Kevin  Kelly  

Nathaniel  A.  Rivers  I  Saint  Louis  University  I  ENGL  693  I  Summer  2011  I  Page  4  

Course Calendar  

 

Week One Reading Assignment (94 pages)

 Wed.,  July  6  

 

Screening:  “Blade  

Runner”  

   

 

§ Burke,  “Terministic  Screens”  § Lanham,  “The  ‘Q’  Question”  § Ong,  “Writing  is  a  Technology  That  Restructures  Thought”  § Plato,  Phaedrus  

Week Two Reading Assignments (56) (416)  

Phase One: Introducing Rhetoric and Technology    Mon.,  July  11  

   

Discussion  

§ Baron,  “From  Pencils  to  Pixels”  § Johnson,  “Users,  Technology,  and  the  Complex(ity)  of  the  

Mundane”  &  “Refiguring  the  End  of  Technology”  § Rheingold,  “The  Evolution  of  Reputation”  &  “Smart  Mobs:  The  

Power  of  the  Mobile  Many”  Wed.,  July  13   Discussion   § Kelly,  What  Technology  Wants  Week Three

Reading Assignments (53) (222)      

Mon.,  July  18  

   

Paper  Day  #1  

§ Edbauer  Rice,  “Rhetoric’s  Mechanics”  § Salvo,  “Critical  Engagement  with  Technology  in  the  Computer  

Classroom”  § Sheppard,  “The  Rhetorical  Work  of  Multimedia  Production  

Practices”  Phase Two: Manifesting Pedagogy Wed.,  July  20   Discussion   § Brooke,  Lingua  Fracta  Week Four

Reading Assignments (46) (95)    

Mon.,  July  25  Screening:  

Henry  Jenkins  Interview  

 

 

§ Colby  &  Colby,  “A  Pedagogy  of  Play”  § Gee,  “Games  and  Learning”  § McGonigal,  “This  is  Not  a  Game”  

   Wed.,  July  27  

 Screening:  James  Gee  Interview  

 

 

§ Anson,  “Distant  Voices”  § Bernhardt,  “The  Shape  of  Text  to  Come”  § Blackmon,  “(Cyber)Conspiracy  Theories?”  § Johnson-­‐Eilola  &  Selber,  “Plagiarism,  Originality,  Assemblage”  § Yancey,  “Re-­‐Designing  Graduate  Education”  

Week Five Reading Assignments (47) (71)  

   

Mon.,  Aug.  1    

Paper  Day  #2  

§ Bay  &  Rickert,  “New  Media  and  the  Fourfold”  § Blythe,  “Agencies,  Ecologies,  and  the  Mundane  Artifacts  in  

Our  Midst”  § Brooke,  “Forgetting  to  be  (Post)Human”  § Muckelbauer  &  Hawhee,  “Posthuman  Rhetorics”  

Phase Three: Revisiting Rhetorical Technology, Ecology, and Agency

 Wed.,  Aug.  3  

Screening:  “eXistenZ”  

and  Sample  Trailer  

 

 

 

§ Clark,  “What  Are  We?”  § Rickert,  “In  the  House  of  Doing”  § Rivers  &  Tirrell,  “Productive  Strife”  

Week Six Reading Assignment (57)  

 Mon.,  Aug.  8  

 Discussion  

§ Haraway,  “Cyborg  Manifesto”  § Longo,  “Human  +  Machine  Culture”  § Turkel,  “The  Things  that  Matter”  

 Wed.,  Aug.  10  

Screening:  Summary  

Paper  Trailers  

 

   

 Summary  Papers  Due:    Friday,  August  12