The course explores the shift in representational media from analog to computational technology, and the corresponding shifts in subjectivity, ethics, self-expression, and socio-political conditions. We will engage this topic through the lens of visual culture to understand how the algorithmic gaze is constructed, where it is situated, and how it can be critiqued, designed, and subverted. Algorithmic decision-making applied to new contexts of social justice and the arts affords new philosophical and social terms for agency and accountability. The course will take the form of theoretical readings, writing projects, and practice-based experiments.

Class Format:

The course will be delivered via a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous content. Synchronous meetings with the instructor will be conducted through Zoom. Students are expected to have access to a camera and microphone. This course will primarily use Canvas to upload readings and assignments. Arrangements can be made if the student has a poor internet connection or cannot attend synchronously.