UWC2101H: Writing and Critical Thinking: Power, Space and Pleasure
Introduction
Topical Introduction
Surveillance and voyeurism: these are terms that tell us about the intimate interconnectedness of power, space, and pleasure. They are different sides of the same coin, different but related aspects of what finding ourselves in space means. We live in a world where being watched, as well as being able to watch others, is more prevalent than ever before. CCTV cameras attempt to protect our cities, but in doing so they affect our privacy. Handphones with cameras allow us to share images instantaneously with people across the globe, but also give rise to happy slapping. Television allows us to gaze at what the stars are doing and, in the case of reality tv, make 'stars' of ordinary people (think William Hung). Reality and image blur as they become more and more interdependent. Ours is a world in some respects not too far removed from that presented in the Matrix trilogy. In the films, the landscapes and cityscapes that appear to be real are entirely the product of a massive network of intelligent machines that filter data through human bodies kept in pods. While no one (well, almost no one!) would deny the hard reality of our environment, the films do raise the problem of the relation between image and reality, surveillance and power, our selves and the spaces in which we live.
To what extent is our understanding of our surroundings subject to questions of power? In which ways is the world 'out there' connected with our sense of who we are, our identities? What does it mean to live in a world where you are being watched, often without knowing? What does it mean to watch others? What is the relation between space, power, and the body? What are some of the effects of being watched? We will investigate these and other questions by reading arguments by, among others, theoreticians of media, philosophers, and sociologists; and by watching two films: The Truman Show and V for Vendetta.
Organization of the Module
The module is divided into three units. First we will look at how theoretical texts that focus on how space is related to questions of power with reference to surveillance, the mass media, and celebrity. Then, in the second unit, we will refine our understanding of these concepts and the relation between them by considering more closely the relation between space, power and pleasure as exemplified in voyeurism and surveillance: here we will be watching people watching other people. Finally, you will have the opportunity to developing your ideas on some of these issues in a more independent research project.
Rhetorical Introduction and Course Objectives
In this course students will be given the chance to hone their reading, thinking and writing skills. Writing and thinking go hand in hand. While they can and should for practical purposes be distinguished from each other, they are, in practice, inseparable. For this reason, while this course is first and foremost a writing course, students will be encouraged to think critically about issues. The ability critically to analyze and evaluate ideas, identify a problem or question that matters, and then to respond to that problem by making a claim that can be supported by arguments and evidence from different sources in order to reach a meaningful conclusion, lies at the heart of the ability to write well. And writing well, regardless of whether you intend being a successful engineer, sociologist, or business person -- is an essential skill in a knowledge-based world with ever greater interconnectivity.
As writing does not take place in isolation, but always within a social context, students will be required to participate in discussions as well as make short presentations in class, and to engage in peer reviews of essay drafts and instructor-student conferences. Essay assignments are meant to strengthen students' ability to establish a strong motive for their work and formulate their own thesis in order to enable persuasive arguments. Students will be expected to develop their ideas in relation to primary and critical literature, thus situating their arguments within an intellectual, scholarly debate. I hope that the class will provide a forum within which we can, as members of a community, exchange ideas and engage in debates.
Readings
We'll be using the following books as writing resources:
- Harvey, Gordon. Writing with Sources. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1998.
You'll get a complimentary copy of this book.
- Hacker, Diana. A Writer's Reference. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1999.
Copies of this book are available from the USP Reading Room, Blk ADM Level 6.
All other readings are available from the Library Resources section of the module website on IVLE (this link will be updated before the start of the semester, once the Central Library has processed the readings). See individual units for readings.
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