Spring 2008 HWC 510 / English 590
Science, Technology, and Society:
“Examining the Future Through a Science-Fiction Lens”

Thursdays 4:00pm – 6:40pm
Bailey Hall, Room 202

Course Coordinators

Science-Fiction Grand Master James Gunn and Economics Professor Mohamed El-Hodiri are also course consultants and guest speakers.
Gunn's office: 3081 Wescoe. El-Hodiri's office: 213B SUM.

Syllabus version 0.00: last updated May 15, 2008

Table of Contents

Course Goals
Daily Schedule
Readings
E-Reserve Readings
Internet-Based Readings
Required Books
Recommended Books
Course Requirements
Class Periods
Papers
Weekly Response Papers
Mid-Term Paper
Research Paper
Oral Presentation
Grading

 Course Goals

Science and technology offer countless benefits to individuals and to societies, yet they also present new challenges. We will use science fiction to explore the past, present, and possible future effects of science and technology on society.

 Daily Schedule

 Readings

Most of the course readings are available via the University of Kansas E-Reserve program. However, you will buy a few books, download other readings, and get still others in class. When you lead class discussions, you will likely do other outside readings, as well.

Students leading discussions are expected to do additional research outside of the regular readings and share these materials with the rest of the class.

 E-Reserve Readings

Here is a link to our E-Reserve location (NOTE: now operational!): http://eres.lib.ku.edu/eres/coursepage.aspx?cid=2498
The passcode: science

To access your readings, either click the E-Reserve link above or click the links in the Daily Schedule table above.

 Internet-Based Readings

Other online readings are available by clicking the links in the table above.

 Required Books

The titles below contain links to online booksellers like Amazon and Powell's; click these links to find the books for sale online. A few of the books are also available as free downloads; click the links in parentheses for the free downloads.

Flatland is available very economically at most bookstores and via the internet.
Gibson's Neuromancer.
Stross' Accelerando. (Click here to download Accelerando free.)
Kurzweil's The Age of Spiritual Machines.

 Recommended Books

Brunner's Stand on Zanzibar.
Drexler's Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology. (Click here to download Engines of Creation free.)

 Course Requirements

You are required to attend class each week, read the required books and the materials available from the library E Reserve, write weekly response papers, participate in class, write a formal mid-term paper, and participate in a group oral presentation. Students enrolled for three credit hours are also expected to write a longer research paper.

 Class Periods

Each week we will discuss a variety of stories and articles. Occasionally, we will have guest speakers or film clips. Class periods revolve largely around discussion, with some lecture. The two students assigned as discussants for the week will lead (not monopolize) the discussion. Discussants should perform extra research prior to class and come prepared with three or more questions on the day's topic and readings. We expect all students to participate in discussions, but we also request that you avoid talking too much or talking over others.

 Papers

Much of your grade depends on the papers you write on a weekly basis, at mid-term, and as the final project. Papers should be double-spaced and typed in a 12-point font. Turn them in to Chris McKitterick or Philip Baringer on the end of class when they are due. They will be returned to you, graded, in a reasonable time.

 Weekly Response Papers

Prior to each class, you will write a short reading-response paper. This one- to two-page paper will be a brief, but thoughtful, response to the readings for that day. Legibility and clarity are important. These papers will be scored on an excellent / acceptable / fail basis as one measure of your engagement with the day's topics. Include questions to pose to the class as well as some points to stimulate discussion. Be sure to print them out and bring them to class to help formulate your ideas during discussion, then hand them in to Chris McKitterick or Philip Baringer at the end of class. They will be returned to you, graded, the following week.

Missing response papers are due May 12 at a marked-down grade.

 Mid-Term Paper

During the semester, you will choose a topic covered in class and write a short paper about it, essentially a formal, extended weekly response, with bibliography and other references as appropriate. Papers should be about 1000 words. The papers are graded on the quality of the writing (including grammar and spelling), the quality of your thesis and argument, and use of material presented in discussions. Printed-out papers are due February 28.

 Research Paper

The final paper can be either a traditional essay or a creative work. A research paper should identify and explore a topic related to the course theme. A creative work should dramatize how science and technology might affect believable, interesting characters living in a convincing, fully realized world.

Papers must be 2000 – 3500 words (10 to 15 pages). You must include a list of references, but reference or endnote pages do not count toward the 2000-word minimum or 3500 word maximum. Include an annotated bibliography at the end of your document, even (or especially) if it is a creative work (you normally do not include bibliographies for creative work). An annotated bibliography is a set of references that provide a summary of your research. List your sources alphabetically and include a brief summary or annotation of each document you list as a reference. Print out and hand in this paper.

Papers are graded on the quality of the research, the writing (including grammar and spelling), and the strength of the topic and argument. What we most want to see is how you synthesize what you've learned from the readings and class discussions and how you express this synthesis. This is not something that you can successfully complete at the last minute. The research paper should represent a semester-long investigation of a topic. To ensure good progress on the topic, you must meet the following deadlines:

• March 6: Submit an abstract, outline, and a preliminary reading list for the research paper to the course coordinators for approval.
• April 17: The completed paper is due.
• May 12: Missing annotated bibliographies are due.

 Oral Presentation

The last week of the course is reserved for student oral presentations. You will be asked to join a group of 3-4 students. Your group will then choose a topic related to the course themes and make a presentation to the class. The topic may either be one covered in class or a new one related to the course theme. The form of the presentation is open; possible forms include a panel discussion, debate, or skit.

Each member of the group is expected to speak for about five minutes, though not necessarily all at once; you may divide your 15-20 minutes among the presenters however you see fit. Be sure to get your topic and form of presentation approved by the course coordinators at least a week prior to the presentation. The individuals within the group will be graded on the clarity and organization of the presentation, the quality of the analysis, and the appropriate use of reference material.

 Grading

The course grade will be based upon these factors:

• Class participation (includes attendance, participation in discussions, and leading at least one discussion with a partner) = 25%
• Weekly papers = 15%
• Mid-term paper = 15%
• Oral presentation = 15%
• Final research paper = 30%