DMS 603 GRADUATE MEDIA POETICS

Glazier :: T 3-6:40 :: CFA 232
Reg#23924 Grad only 

This seminar, with a distinct focus each semester, pursues the simple goal of invigorating your work as a graduate student in concert with individual objectives and goals. It aims to move you forward: stimulate your practice and writing projects and deepen your mindful participation in the field. This course can be considered as both theory and as production, where close reading is considered as creative and as intimate as production, and where writing/making is considered as self-reflective and as thoughtful as close reading. Importantly, receiving meaningful and constructive collective peer input by the seminar on your production projects and on your own writing is a priority. Such suggestions and reflections, as well as the ways of reading undertaken in this seminar, have been highly successful in past semesters.

This seminar will consist of two principle parts — reading and the project.

I. Reading will focus on close reading of crucial texts to media poetics. In a normal semester, we read two texts side-by-side, one that is an indispensible pearl of theoretic-thought-as-language masterpiece, and a second text TBA that is either a foundational work in critical thinking, a work of literary thinking, a milestone in philosophy/science, or a work on emerging media (usually digital literatures) uniquely applicable to the event of the seminar. For Fall, 2012, we will read Vilem Flusser’s Into the Universe of Technical Images (Electronic Mediations). I have yet to decide on the second text; a final decision will depend on consideration of books issued immediately as classes begin and further investigations on my part this summer. (Considerations will possibly include my own, Digital Poetics, a general introduction to digital poeisis, presently under close re-reading due to the present preparation of its Spanish language edition.) My method is to read as closely as if you were writing the course text yourself. Thus, the goal is to both fine-tune reading habits as writing practice, reading in a direct and approachable manner, while discovering ways to freshen the strengths of your own techniques for the writing of your thesis.

II. Project will largely consist of work on your own (creative or critical) with the group as a committed and engaged sounding board, with opportunities for earnest, thoughtful, and supportive input into the development of your ideas. This will include an early semester presentation of your project idea, a mid-semester feedback event, and a final presentation of the stage your project has moved to at the time. The project will not be work on during class time, except on indicated occasional days, and will rely on a system of group commentary and individual self-motivation for successful completion.

Other seminar activities include, when available, guest artists and theorists. I usually try to include such visits to help students connect with major figures in the “real world” of digital media. See their works in progress, provide opportunities to dialog, and open possibilities for emerging future professional relationships. Additionally, as possible, opportunities may exist for graduate student participation in the organization of arts and academic events hosted by the Electronic Poetry Center, such as the forthcoming, E-Poetry International Festival to take place at an international venue in May, 2013.

For Media Study graduate students, this seminar will be undertaken in full cognizance of general discussions by faculty in your First Year Review, and your general goals in the program.