4901.265.01 Computers and Society (Spring 2002)

Project

Computer, Technology & Society in Fiction: Dreams and Nightmares

Due Dates

Monday, April 8
Submission of source material idea
Monday, April 22
Submission posted to WebCT

Assignment

Since the time of Wells and Verne, writers have speculated on how various technologies can affect a society. This topic is still explored in creative works historically called science fiction and now often called speculative fiction.

Write a short essay (800-1200 words) on a Computers and Society theme from an appropriate work of fiction (novel, short story, graphic novel, motion picture). Your essay should include a discussion of the following topics (if relevant):

The historical context of the author (if not contemporary)
The computer-based technology that is the focus of the story/setting
The dream/nightmare based on that technology
The hopes/fears of the author deriving from the effect of that technology
If the story is not contemporary, and the technology has already been introduced into our society, whether the author's hopes/fears have been realized
Questions/topics for further discussion

There are two phases to this project. The first is decide on the source material. You have two weeks to submit your idea to me for approval, but the sooner the better. (Since I am not familiar with every story or movie ever created, it might take me a day or two to decide one way or another. In addition to your title idea, you might include a short description of the theme, to better make your case.) Once approval is given, you will have up to two weeks to write and submit the essay. So that the entire class can benefit from your study, you are being asked to post your essay on the class WebCT system. Other students will be asked — or rather, expected — to comment on your essays.

Since the title of this course is Computers and Society, I would prefer that the theme chosen be computer-related. The technological theme need not explicity involve computers, but it should ideally be something whose creation is enabled by computers. That said, I am banning genetic engineering and cloning as themes outright.

Everyone will be expected to use a different source, so the earlier you submit your idea, the better. I will maintain a list of possible sources, and a list of sources already approved will be made available as well.

clamen@cs.rowan.edu