CS8011g: Technology and Society


Winter Quarter 1997
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Friday
College of Computing Room 102
CRN #: 16467
Class Newsgroup: git.cc.class.8011g

Organizers:
Joshua Berman (mail, homepage), Dr. Irfan Essa (mail, homepage), Dr. Terry Harpold (mail, homepage)


Seminar Description

Researchers and designers work in a double bind: too close a focus on the practicable and the social may limit their capacities to imagine new solutions and new problems; working blindly towards new technologies, without regard for their value to general society may mean wasting resources that could be more profitably directed to other ends -- or worse, creating new problems that cannot be resolved with a technological fix.

This seminar attempts to give researchers and students a chance to discuss this precarious balance. In a presentation/discussion format, speakers with varied backgrounds and views on technology will visit the seminar, to act as guest discussion moderators and speakers. The emphasis of these sessions will be dependent on the individual guests, covering a gamut from issues of social responsibility in research to personal privacy and security issues in a technological world. This is a BYB (bring your brain) course. The seminar is open to all with an interest in these issues. Students and faculty from outside the College of Computing are especially encouraged to take part.

Note: You do not need to register to attend any spefic week, or even all of the sessions.
 

 If you would like to address the seminar, just send an email to Josh Berman.
 
 
January 9  Introduction and look ahead to the rest of the quarter - Organizers
January 16  Anne Balsamo - New Definitions of Technology
January 23  Terry Harpold - Networked Dystopias
January 30  Amy Bruckman - The Politics of Artifacts
February 6  Halftime - A chance for open discussion. Bring your questions and solutions.
February 13   CLASS CANCELLED
February 20  Wendy Newstetter and Colin Potts
February 27  Kavita Philip - Topic to be announced
March 6  Josh Berman - Relationships and technology
March 13  Conclusion, Wrap-Up and Directions for the Spring - Organizers
 
Other Items of Interest:
The RealAudio recording of the November 13th GVU Faculty Roundtable titled "What are the Social Responsibilities of Innovators in HCI" is
avialable here.


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