And here's the abridged syllabus for Perceptions, the graduate seminar on visual studies and critical theory that I am teaching this Spring at California College of the Arts. Again, lots of changes both in form(at) and content. After all, the medium is the massage.
PERCEPTIONS
VISCR-602-01/GELCT-680-02
Visual & Critical Studies Program
California College of the Arts
Spring Semester 2013
Instructor: Matteo Bittanti
Meeting place & time:
San Francisco Campus, GCC1 GC1
Thursdays 12:00 - 3 pm
Start Date: January 24, 2013
End Date: May 2, 2013
Table of contents
1. Course Description
1.1 Course Format & Requirements
1.2 Learning Outcomes
2. Bibliography
3. Class Discussions
4.1 Final Proposal
4.2 Final Project
4.3 Final Presentation
4.4 Evaluation Criteria
5. Measurement of Student Performance
6. Classroom Conduct & Attendance Guidelines
6.1 Policy on Academic Honesty
7. Schedule
7.1 Important dates
1. Course Description
Perceptions provides an overview of Visual and Critical Studies in relation to approaches, frameworks, and theories of visual perception. This course explores a series of key topics in the field of visual and critical studies concerning the interplay between images and media with the aim of developing a critical understanding of these complexities. As this survey course looks into a number of theories concerning this evolving connection, the main focus of our inquiries will be a cluster of consistently recurring ideas about vision, media, and their influence on our perception of “Reality”.
Specifically, we will examine different versions of the premise that "modes of perception" change alongside transformations in visual technology. We will discuss several examples of visual experiences, from painting to photography, from cinema to television and their relationship to notions of subjectivity, knowledge, power, and politics. Our investigation will be supported by close readings of seminal contributions to the field of philosophy, critical and visual studies in the 20th century, produced by a variety of thinkers, including Walter Benjamin, Marshall McLuhan, Guy Debord, John Berger, Michel Foucault, Ariel Dorfman, Armand Mattelart, Roland Barthes, Paul Virilio, Vilém Flusser, Jean Baudrillard, and Régis Debray.
Students will: a) compare and contrast the scholars’ different approaches and rhetorical styles in order to develop a critical strategy to assess the Visual; b) Use principles of Visual and Critical Studies to analyze works of historical and contemporary visual culture; c) Sharpen their research, verbal and written skills through weekly readings, formal presentations, and the development of critical papers on topics related to images, media, and perception.
1.1 Course Format & Requirements
Classes will consist of lectures, screenings, in-class discussions, and student presentations. Attendance is mandatory. Students are required to attend the full length of all classes. Students are expected to come to class with the reading/viewing done and demonstrate ability to participate appropriately - that is, using the pertinent critical terminology - in a seminar-style intellectual community. All papers, assignments, presentations, and final projects must be completed on time and in full. No exceptions. Try to think of class meetings as a resource session in which you can get your questions answered and at the same time, learn what concerns are driving your colleagues. One of the primary goals of Perceptions is to help the students develop a critical eye. This class presents elements of both seminar and lecture courses. As such, students will be asked to provide relevant input, during discussions and in-class critiques.
1.2 Learning Outcomes
In addition to the key goals described in section 1, Perceptions emphasizes the following learning outcomes:
- Methods of Critical Analysis: Students will learn to identify, actively engage with, and carry out exegeses of individual texts, both visual and textual. Students will be consistently required to dissect written texts and oral presentations and to articulate the primary and secondary claims being advanced. When identifying, clarifying, and posing relevant questions about the various types of assertions found in both texts and presentations, students will also incorporate into their analyses a reflexive and self-aware consideration of methodological issues.
- Written and Verbal Communication: Students will continue to hone their communication skills by presenting their ideas in different types of writing assignments and within class discussions and oral presentations.
- Visual Literacy: Students will learn how to recognize and decode different media aesthetics, conventions, and languages through an analysis of different kinds of visual artifacts that are derived from, produced using, or merely associated with specific media or machine technologies.
- Research Skills: Students will hone their skills in information gathering, documentation, investigation, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation.
- Interdisciplinarity: Students will understand various ways in which different media aesthetics intersect with other areas of social, technological, and cultural history.
- Professional development: Students will learn to write outlines for oral presentations and essay; to present their ideas in a professional manner; to write a long critical essay that balances their own interests with the course's main subject matter and its key issues.
2. Bibliography
To successfully complete the course, each student will be required to read an entire book on a weekly basis. Focusing on the theme of perception, the bibliography features seminal contributions to the field of Visual Studies and Critical Studies but also Philosophy and Media Studies. We will analyze and discuss the significance, effectiveness, and influence of each text, using contextual and theoretical frames provided by the instructor and developed collectively. In short, this course will help students to connect texts and contexts, highlighting several aspects of the liaison between images and media, philosophies and aesthetics, technology and politics, power and ideology.
- Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility And Other Writings on Media, in Michael W. Jennings, Brigid Doherty, and Thomas Y. Levin (Eds.). [1936] 2008. 1-68.
- McLuhan, Marshall. The Medium is the Massage: An Inventory of Effects. London: Penguin Books. 1967. 157 pages.
- Debord, Guy. Society of the Spectacle. Detroit: Black and Red. [1967] 1983. 154 pages.
- Dorfman, Ariel and Mattelart, Armand. How To Read Donald Duck. New York: I.G. Editions. [1971] 1975. 100 pages.
- Berger, John.Ways of Seeing. London: Penguin. 1972. 166 pages.
- Foucault, Michel.This is Not a Pipe. Berkeley:University of California Press. [1973] 2008. 104 pages.
- Barthes, Roland. Camera Lucida. New York: Hill and Wang, [1979] 1981. 144 pages
- Virilio, Paul. War and Cinema. The Logistics of Perception. London: Verso. [1984] 1989. 100 pages.
- Flusser, Vilém. Into the Universe of Technical Images. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. [1985] 2011. 180 pages.
- Baudrillard, Jean. America. London: Verso. [1986] 2010. 140 pages.
- Debray, Regis. Media Manifestos: On The Technological Transmission of Cultural Forms. London: Verso. [1994] 1996. 192 pages.
Additional readings and videos will be provided on a weekly basis on the course blog.
Last but not least, A Writer’s Reference (7th Edition) by Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers will be our style guide.
Please note that since the workload is considerable, it is strongly recommended to plan ahead.
3. Class Discussion
Each week, two students will be asked to lead and moderate a class conversation. To do it effectively, students will need to be able to summarize the key ideas of the assigned reading and suggest how they relate to our ongoing dialogue. Students will also need to propose questions for subsequent discussions. Students are strongly encouraged to prepare a formal presentation using the most appropriate visual aids for the task (slideshows, concept maps, Keynote/PowerPoint/Sliderocket/Prezi etc.) Several presentation resources are listed on the course blog.
4. Assignment Overview
Students will develop two written assignments and two presentations using principles of Visual and Critical Studies. In order to complete this task successfully, students will be required to undertake rigorous and thorough research of the topic.
Specifically, students are expected to:
a) Develop a clear and original thesis.
b) Present the thesis and organize the supporting evidence in a logical manner in the form of a critical essay.
c) Give a clear and persuasive in-class presentation of their research project to their peers.
4.1 Final Project (May 2, 2013)
Students are required to write an essay of 3500-4000 words approximately 10 pages, excluding bibliography and footnotes. The paper is designed to help you reflect, analyze, and discuss core themes and ideas encountered in Perceptions, engaging with primary and secondary materials, and develop a background in the area that will allow you to pursue more in-depth research projects in the future, e.g. a thesis or a dissertation.
The essay must be critical in nature, that is, analytical and interpretative and not merely descriptive. In order to successfully complete this task, student will be required to deploy research and close visual analysis in the development of a thesis that reflects independent thought about the visual environment under consideration in a ten page paper utilizing the conventions of scholarly writing, literate English and no less than eight academic sources.
Students are encouraged to include up to eight images in the final paper, but only to make a point, not for mere decorative purposes. Images must be referenced and discussed in the text. Additionally, all images must be properly accompanied with credits and captions.The paper will be evaluated on the basis of the students' ability to look critically and express their ideas in the form of expository writing. The assessment guide is provided below.
Technical requirements: The Final Paper must be formatted in Chicago Style and use the following parameters: Arial Font, Size 12, Spacing 1.5. Length: 3500-4000 words (Font: Arial, Size: 12, Spacing: 1.5, excluding bibliography and footnotes). For the electronic version, the paper must be saved as a .RTF or .DOC format. Other formats, e.g. .PDF, are not acceptable.
Submission method: The final paper must be submitted in two ways:
1) As a printed document handed brevi manu to the instructor on the last day of class;
2) An electronic file, sent to the instructor via email no later than 4 pm on May 2, 2013. Late papers will not be accepted. Failure to submit the paper on time in both printed and electronic format will result in a “F” grade.
The Final paper requires a Proposal and a literature review.
4.2 Final Project Proposal (April 4, 2013)
Students must submit a 1500 word (approximately 4 pages) page proposal that provides a detailed description of the final project and outlines plans for research as well as relevant questions and concerns. Like any solid proposal (for a grant or exhibition), this proposal should be persuasive and demonstrate why this project is creative, compelling and worth pursuing. The four essential elements of the proposal are:
1. A title, subtitle, and description of your object of study, its significance, and the key issues or questions you want to address in your research. Do you have a novel approach or hypothesis? If so, describe it.
2. A concise, tightly-focused review of the scholarly literature on your topic. What are the most significant scholarly contributions in your area of investigation? You must explain how your work will relate to the works you cite.
3. A brief discussion of research methods. What kind of research methods will you use to answer the questions you have posed or to test your hypothesis? Why are those the methods best suited for this case? What will they allow you to discover? Do you need any special resources to complete your research?
4. A timetable. What are the key parts of your project (research, writing, etc.) and by when will you have them completed? What are the milestones?
Technical requirements: The Final Project Proposal must be formatted in Chicago Style and use the following parameters: Arial Font, Size 12, Spacing 1.5. For the electronic version, the paper must be saved as a .RTF or .DOC format. Other formats, e.g. .PDF, are not acceptable.
Submission method: The proposal must be submitted in two ways: 1) as a printed document handed brevi manu to the instructor on on April 4 2013; and as 2) an electronic file, sent to the instructor via email no later than 4 pm on April 2013.
A graded/reviewed version of the document will be returned to the student within a week.
Tip: It is essential to discuss your ideas with the instructor before developing and submitting full proposal. It is also a very good idea to look ahead in the syllabus and get started early.
4.3 Final Presentation
During the last two weeks of the semester (April 25 and May 2, 2013) students will give a 20 minute* formal/professional presentations of their final projects. These presentations must include visual material and should make full use of presentation tools such as Keynote, Powerpoint, SlideRocket, Prezi or other available digital tools. The presentations will be followed by questions and class discussion. Students are required to make appropriate arrangements for showing visual material in advance. Students are expected to use their own computer equipment for the presentation: the instructor will not provide a laptop. All students are required to attend the presentations. Presentation resources, including tools and tutorials, are available on the course blog. No make-up presentations.
* Exact duration of presentation TBD - based on overall number of enrolled students.
4.4 Evaluation criteria
Written assignments will be evaluated on the basis of the Visual Studies Assessment Grid (available here) which includes the following criteria: thorough research; clear, logical, and original arguments; critical and creative analysis of visual material supported by visual examples; serious effort, preparation, and engagement in the subject matter.
Visual presentations will be evaluated on the basis of the students ability to look critically and express their ideas in oral and visual form. The assessment guide is available here: Download Visual Presentation Rubric
Each area of assessment corresponds to the following numeric evaluation:
1 insufficient
2 developing skills
3 proficient skills
4 exceptional skills
5. Measurement of Student Performance
Final grades will be determined as follows:
- Attendance, participation - both in class and online: 20%
- Final Paper Proposal: 20%
- Final Presentation: 25%
- Final Paper: 35%
6. Classroom Conduct & Attendance Guidelines
1) Promptness is a basic requirement. Persistent lateness lowers your class participation grade considerably. Three unjustified late arrivals (>10 minutes) will be counted as one absence.
2) The use of all electronic devices, gadgets, and gizmos - including smart phones - during class is not permitted. Note-taking on a laptop is not allowed. Please wait for the break to make phone calls, texting or to use the internet. Computers may only be used for students' presentations. In class texting will automatically result in a lower grade.
3) Sleeping, chatting in the back of the room, reading external materials, working on external projects during the class session - any of these can result in immediate ejection from the class.
4) If more than one class is missed due to illness, students must submit written verification from a physician and notify professor via e-mail or in writing immediately. Written medical documents must be submitted within two weeks of an absence. CCA has a college-wide attendance policy that3 unexcused absences can be cause for failing the course. In addition, 3 "lates" equal to an absence.
5) Students are not allowed to eat during class.
6) There are no make-up presentations and assignments.
7) Students who miss a class must collect the material discussed in class. In most cases, such material will be available on the class blog. At any rate, always make sure to contact the instructor via email about the availability of such materials.
Thank you for your cooperation!
Policy on Academic Honesty
Academic Integrity Code & Plagiarism: CCA has an Academic Integrity Code stated in our Student Handbook and plagiarism is clearly prohibited. Consequences for plagiarism can range from re-doing the assignment from scratch, to failing the course and dismissal from the college. Please read the following excerpt very carefully:
“The reputation of a university and the value of its degrees rest upon the study and research carried on at that institution. The policy for maintaining academic honesty is:
A. Each student is responsible for performing academic tasks in such a way that honesty is not in question.
B. Unless an exception is specifically defined by an instructor, students are expected to maintain the following standards of integrity:
1. All tests, term papers, oral and written assignments are to be the work of the student presenting the material for course credit.
2. Any paraphrase, quotation, or summary (that is, any use of words, ideas, or findings of other persons, writers, or researchers) requires explicit citation of the source.
3. Deliberately supplying material to another student for purposes of plagiarism (to take and pass off as one's own ideas, writings, or work of another) is dishonest.
C. Each instructor is responsible for a learning environment supportive of academic honesty.
1. If a faculty member has reason to suspect academic dishonesty in or out of class, the faculty member should require additional and/or revised work that is unquestionably the work of the student.
2. A faculty member who has proof that academic honesty has been violated should take appropriate disciplinary action, which may include refusal of course credit.
3. A faculty member shall bring to the attention of the Vice President, Academic Affairs, all violations of academic honesty. The Vice President may place on probation, suspend, or expel any student who violates the policy on academic honesty.” (CCA Academic Integrity Code)
7. Schedule
Please note that the schedule is subject to change
WEEK 1: January 24, 2013
- Introduction to the course
- Syllabus Walkthrough
WEEK 2: January 31, 2013
Required reading:
- Benjamin, Walter, The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility And Other Writings on Media, in Michael W. Jennings, Brigid Doherty, and Thomas Y. Levin (Eds.). [1936] 2008. 1-68.
- Gumbrecht, Hans Ulrich & Marrinan,. Michael. Mapping Benjamin. The Work of Art in the Digital Age. Palo Alto: Stanford University press. 2009. 1-39
WEEK 3: February 7, 2013
Required reading:
- McLuhan, Marshall. The Medium is the Massage: An Inventory of Effects. London: Penguin Books. 1967. 157 pages.
WEEK 4: February 14, 2013
Required reading:
- Debord, Guy. Society of the Spectacle. Detroit: Black and Red. [1967] 1983. 154 pages.
WEEK 5: February 21, 2013
Required reading:
- Dorfman, Ariel and Mattelart. Armand. How To Read Donald Duck. New York: I.G. Editions. [1971] 1975. 100 pages.
WEEK 6: February 28, 2013
Required reading:
- Foucault, Michel.This is Not a Pipe. Berkeley:University of California Press. [1973] 2008. 104 pages.
WEEK 7: March 7, 2013
Required reading:
- Berger, John.Ways of Seeing. London: Penguin. 1972. 166 pages.
WEEK 8: March 14, 2013
Required reading:
- Barthes, Roland. Camera Lucida. New York: Hill and Wang. [1979] 1981. 144 pages.
WEEK 9: March 21, 2013
Required reading:
- Virilio, Paul. War and Cinema. The Logistics of Perception. London: Verso. [1984] 1989. 100 pages.
WEEK 10: March 28, 2013
- Spring Break - No class
WEEK 11: April 4, 2013
- Final proposal due today (printed and digital)
Required reading:
- Flusser, Vilém. Into the Universe of Technical Images. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. [1985] 2011. 180 pages.
WEEK 12: April 11, 2013
Required reading:
- Baudrillard, Jean. America. London: Verso. [1986] 2010. 140 pages.
WEEK 13: April 18, 2013
Required reading:
- Debray, Regis. Media Manifestos: On The Technological Transmission of Cultural Forms. London: Verso. [1994] 1996. 192 pages.
WEEK 14: April 25, 2013
- Final presentations 1 of 2.
WEEK 15, May 2, 2013
- Final presentations 2 of 2
- Final Paper due today (printed and digital)
7.1 Important dates
Tuesday, January 22, 2013: Spring term courses begin [CCA]
Friday, February 1, 2013: Last day to add or drop courses [CCA]
Thursday, February 4, 2013: First day to withdraw from courses [CCA]
Monday-Friday, March 25-29, 2013: Spring break -- no courses [CCA]
Thursday, April 4, 2013: Final Project Proposal due at 4 pm [Perceptions]
Friday, April 5, 2013: Last day to withdraw from courses [CCA]
Thursday, April 25 and May 2, 2013: Students Final Presentations [Perceptions]
Thursday, May 2, 2013: Final Project Due at noon [Perceptions]
Friday, May 10,2013: Spring term courses end [CCA]
