Answer ONE of these questions.

The answer is to take the form of an essay of 2500 to 3500 words (10 to 15 double spaced, 12 point font, pages).

Remember that the goal of this exercise is to demonstrate that you have read the required sources (minimally) and can think productively from them. You must confront at least five of the required sources. You are encouraged, of course, to bring in other sources, as needed. Do not hesitate to e-mail me if this is confusing.

  1. Given a fictional African country (specify some of the socio-demographic-economic factors you deem relevant), sketch how the introduction of cell phones might enable, and also disable, various people into (not) doing what had been hitherfore (im-)possible in that country. What are the features of the technology that might prove most/less productive (think about the whole cycle involved in placing a cell phone in the hands of one person).
    (you may substitute a country from another part of the world about which you have more information)
  2. What are the technological means that might contribute to the spread of particular languages, as well as the shadowing of others. Could some of these technologies mitigate the latter? How?

  3. All technologies link people in some way (as well as separate them). Contrast and compare, on the basis of the readings, how two or three of the technologies we have talked about (plow, factory, laboratory, medical imagery, social software) link people. Pay close attention to who is involved, and in what ways.

  4. The general marxist principle that "men produce their means of subsistence" does not specifically mention the production of differences among human beings. Taking any two of the technologies we have read about, explore how they produce such differences, and the consequences.

  5. The famous French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu criticized Latour for not recognizing that science is “a world apart, with its own laws, …, irreducible to all other” (1998 [1994]).  In this passage, Bourdieu sides with those who have criticized various theories about the "social construction of reality" for suggesting that everything that can be shown to have been constructed by human beings is in some sort of way not quite real. Is Bourdieu's a fair criticism? How can "constructivism" be said to do precisely the reverse? What are the dangers?
  6. Given some professional interest (please, specify), discuss the issues you face in terms of the technologies you use.  What are the constraints and possibilities inherent in these technologies? What else might you and your profession do with these?

IN Incomplete. The grade of Incomplete is to be assigned only when the course attendance requirement has been met but, for reasons satisfactory to the instructor, the granting of a final grade has been postponed because certain course assignments are outstanding. If the outstanding assignments are completed within one calendar year from the date of the close of term in which the grade of Incomplete was received and a final grade submitted, the final grade will be recorded on the permanent transcript, replacing the grade of Incomplete, with a transcript notation indicating the date that the grade of Incomplete was replaced by a final grade.

If the outstanding work is not completed within one calendar year from the date of the close of term in which the grade of Incomplete was received, the grade will remain as a permanent Incomplete on the transcript. In such instances, if the course is a required course or part of an approved program of study, students will be required to re-enroll in the course including repayment of all tuition and fee charges for the new registration and satisfactorily complete all course requirements. If the required course is not offered in subsequent terms, the student should speak with the faculty advisor or Program Coordinator about their options for fulfilling the degree requirement. Doctoral students with six or more credits with grades of Incomplete included on their program of study will not be allowed to sit for the certification exam.