This course introduces students to the study of technology and society, examining how technology — mechanical, electronic, analog, and digital — shapes and is shaped by cultural, political, and social values. Readings focus on key concepts and approaches including technological determinism, the social construction of technology, actor-network theory, affordances, infrastructure, and design, exploring how these have been applied to such cases as the clock, the automobile, the telephone, the internet, and a range of contemporary digital media.
Undergraduate Course