The Computerized Society: A Cultural History of the Computer Since WWII
What theorist Jean-Francois Lyotard called “the computerized society” turns out to be about far more than just machines. Technological developments are inextricably linked to other factors: culture, politics, economics, war, identity, race, class, gender, the law, region. In this course we will take an American studies approach to the evolution of the modern computer to grasp its history—and therefore its present significance. Students will encounter a wide range of sources and complete three analytic essays that begin with creative prompts to generate compelling historical interpretations of technology and its contextualized importance in America and the world. 3 hrs. lect.