How do we know the past? How might technology help or hinder us in knowing the past better? In this course we will seek answers to these questions by studying the changing and diverse roles of the various technologies used to record the past, “technologies of memory.” Beginning with the earliest forms of writing, poetry, and ancient memory arts (mnemotechnics) and then extending to the modern day shift to computers and digital memorialization, we ask both what has been gained and what has been lost in these technological turns. What roles have writing, speech, art, and ritual played in fostering memory? What role have they played in forgetting?
Our methods will be, broadly speaking, comparative, pairing works of antiquity with works of modernity. Readings will all be in English translation. No prior knowledge or coursework is required. This course is, intentionally, one which folds its subject matter back onto the course itself. It is self-reflexive, as the questions we will ask about “technologies of memory” apply not just to the preservation of the past outside the classroom, but also to the methods used by both you (the student) and me (the teacher) as we think about the past. In addition, it is inevitable that individual experience and expertise with different types of technology will vary widely. This diversity of skills will inform our discussions and activities, but we also need some common ground when talking about modern technology. Therefore, to provide some common ground, we will experiment with various technologies of the classroom, from the very simple to the very complex, as part of our work. Students will not be evaluated based on their prior expertise, but are encouraged to expand whatever technological expertise they already have as part of their work in this class.
This course is typically (but not always) taught once per year .