Some examples to think with:

Homer?
Plato?
Moses?

the Alphabet?

Lecture: Orality into Literacy

Reading Required: Briggs & Burke, Social History of Media, "Introduction" (pp. 2-12) and "The Print Revolution in Context" (pp. 13-59)

Note: If you hand in your lecture notes at the end of class, they will be evaluated for you and returned next week. This exercise counts as one research point.

Discussion

Required Reading: Crary, Techniques of the Observer excerpt (ereserve)

Lecture: Print Media, Print Culture

Required Reading: Gutjahr, An American Bible, Preface and Chapter One (pp. 1-37)

One research point available if you hand in original written responses to reading questions for today.

Discussion

Required Reading: Gutjahr, Chapters Two and Three (pp. 39-112)

Lecture: Print Media, Maturation and Critique

Graded essay due in class without exception. Click here for details.

19th Century Newspapers

Slave narratives

an interesting document

Discussion (on news)

Requried Readings: Briggs & Burke, "From Steam to Electricity" (pp. 88-99); and Baldasty, "The Rise of News as a Commodity" (ereserve)

Discussion

Required Reading: Sekula, "The Invention of Photographic Meaning" (ereserve)

Two research points available if you hand in original responses to reading questions for today.

Discussion

Required Reading: Briggs& Burke, pp. 117-150

Discussion -- phonographs and telephones

Required Reading: Twain "A Telephonic Communication" (1880); and Sousa "The Menace of Mechanical Music" (1906)

One research point available for students who hand in original written responses to the reading questions for today.

No afternoon class

Mandatory evening screening of The Jazz Singer (1927) instead of class: Hanan 108 at 7 PM. Please come on time!

Note: Three research points are available to students who visit the Phillips Collection exhibit "Moving Pictures: American Art and Early Film" and hand in their essay response at or before the screening. The exhibit opens February 17th; the museum is not open on Mondays. Click the "Phillips" link above for museum hours and directions.

Discussion of The Jazz Singer

Required Reading: Production Credits handout on the Jazz Singer (handout will be available at the screening)

Reading, Briggs and Burke, "Information, Education, Entertainment" (151-215)

Note: One research point available for students who hand in reading questions for today.

Lecuture with examples: Television

Required Reading: Spigel, "Installing the Television Set" (ereserve)

Note: One research point is available for students who hand in reading questions for today.

Discussion

Required Reading: Spigel, "Seducing the Innocent" (ereserve)

Discussion

Reading: Wilk, "Television, Time" (ereserve)

Note: One research point available to students who hand in reading questions for today.

Lecture: Convergence and History (ppt notes)

Required Reading: Briggs & Brooks, "Convergence" (pp. 216-253)

Reading: Ghamari-Tabrizi, "The Convergence of the Pentagon and Hollywood" (ereserve) AND Jenkins, Introduction (pp. 1-24)

Note: One research point available to students who hand in reading questions for today.

Conclusion and review

Note: Four research points available to students who hand in their Convergence essay in class. You will receive your essay back at the final exam with comments. You may also hand in the paper at the exam for Four research points, but you will not receive comments.