October 2001 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

FW: [netscan] 2.0 Release
by Ellis Godard 23 Oct '01

23 Oct '01

-----Original Message----- From: masmith(a)microsoft.com [mailto:masmith@microsoft.com] Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 2:13 PM To: Netscan Mailing list Subject: [netscan] 2.0 Release Netscan Netscan Community Research at Microsoft Research Data Mining Social Cyberspaces since 1997 Netscan Beta 2.0 Now Available! Netscan social accounting services for Usenet What is Netscan? Netscan is a social accounting reporting service for the Usenet. Netscan provides reports on the activity of newsgroups and the histories of authors in those newsgroups. The Microsoft Community Research Group created Netscan as a service to the research community and a test-bed for enhanced community services. Research Sociologist Marc Smith leads a small group of developers creating next generation community interfaces. How can I use Netscan? Netscan is publicly available at http://netscan.research.microsoft.com. New Data Keeping up with Usenet is a big challenge. Growing rapidly, the Usenet feed is larger than 60GB a day. Netscan now provides data for all the newsgroups we get in our feed from January 1, 2000 through the end of August, 2001. Coming soon is data for September 2001. Look for quicker data updates coming in the near future. Our new interfaces are now available! Netscan offers reports on all Usenet newsgroups that we receive in our news feed, currently 130,000 newsgroups. Through Netscan you can access newsgroup reports for any day, week, or month starting from the first of January, 2000. Use Netscan to track the activity of your favorite newsgroups and read the most active threads in any newsgroup. Newsgroup report cards Get a focused report on any individual newsgroup we track. Thread reports for newsgroups Sorting threads by size should be a common news browser feature, but it isn't. Netscan now provides reports on the biggest threads in every newsgroup for every day, week, and month in the data set. Crosspost network visualization See the patterns of interlinked newsgroups starting from any set of anchor newsgroups you select. Author Tracker Identifying the most valuable authors in each newsgroup can be an effective vector for finding the most valuable content. To explore this approach, Netscan now offers an Author to Thread report that lists the most frequently active participants in each newsgroup and the threads they contributed to most often. This can be a great way to highlight the most valuable content in each newsgroup. Tree Map of Usenet Get an overview of the entire Usenet in one glance! Tree Maps are an interesting way to visualize large hierarchical structures -- like Usenet! Our Tree Map service allows you to zoom into just the neighborhood of newsgroups you are interested in and generate maps for any month in the data set. Try it here. Join our Netscan Mailing List Join the Netscan mailing list and get updates about Usenet, Online Communities, and new services. Your E-mail: Subject: Message: Recent Articles The Netscan Project: Mapping the Social Geography of Usenet News April, 2001 Is Microsoft Smart- or Just Successful? May 15, 2001 Calendar January 7-10, 2002 - Hawaii International Conference on Systems Science, HICSS 2002, See in particular the Persistent Conversation minitrack and the HICSS Digital Library. April 20-25, 2002 - ACM Computer Human Interaction Conference CHI 2002, Minneapolis, Minnesota Related Links Tree Maps for space-constrained visualization of hierarchies Cyber Geography Atlas MIT Media Lab Sociable Media Group Conversation Maps Microsoft Research Social Computing Group Microsoft Research Collaboration and Multimedia Group Communities in Cyberspace is in second printing Edited by: Marc Smith and Peter Kollock Communities in Cyberspaceis devoted to exploring new forms of social organization and the changing concepts of community as social groups develop within computer networks. Contributors examine changes in the nature of personal identity, social organization and the connections between real-world communities and their extensions in cyberspace. Communities in Cyberspace is published by Routledge and is now available In association with Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com and other booksellers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Thank you for your continued interest in the Netscan Project. We sent this message because you subscribed to our mailing list. If you'd rather not receive future e-mails about news, developments, or updates, please reply to this message with the word 'UNSUBSCRIBE' in the SUBJECT line. Please see the Netscan privacy policy Copyright 2001, Microsoft Corporation --- You are currently subscribed to netscan as: godard(a)virginia.edu To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-netscan-3636D(a)list.research.microsoft.com

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Firstgov
by 70COMPTON 23 Oct '01

23 Oct '01

***I'm looking for journal articles that discuss the start of the Firstgov site. Many thanks for any data or sources you might have.*** Angelica Compton Media Studies Catholic University 70compton(a)cua.edu

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more net films
by David M. Silver 23 Oct '01

23 Oct '01

Folks, In another, non-air thread I'm in with my friend and colleague Phil Thurtle, we've been discussing teaching materials and films in particular. With Phil's permission, I'm forwarding a recent post of his. Some of them have been mentioned, others not. Enjoy! david silver **** From: Phillip Thurtle <thurtle(a)u.washington.edu> FIRST RUN FILMS "Lain: serial experiments" This is a Japanese anime television series about a young girl who begins to use the Internet and starts questioning her identity. Much more compelling than other films of this type(Matrix, etc.) and gets the students to begin thinking in international and gendered terms regarding this issue. Chris Marker's _La Jetee_ is a great meditation on time in an extensively surveilled society. This is the film that Terry Gilliam based _12 Monkeys_ on. "Colussus: The Forbin Project". This film wonderfully captures how fears of nuclear invasion during the cold war is transferred to the technology that we use to stop the invasions. "Tron"? "The Andromeda Strain". This film is especially pertinent today with the fears of bioterrorism. The movie "Momento" is also important for thinking about identity and memory in a highly mediated society. David Cronnenberg's "Existenz" has some provocative scenes regarding human/user interface. DOCUMENTARIES "Ducktators" is a great documentary on the use of cartoons during world war II. "The Last Angel of History" is a very cool film that explores the relationship of PanAfrican identity, new technology, and outer space themes through the exploration of the works of Octavia Butler, Samuel Delaney, George Clinton, and Sun Ra. "Death by Design" is a film that looks at technology and art and scientific representations. "Japan Dreaming" one of the more informed takes on the development of Japan's "synthetic" pleasures. "Optimum" is a historical film that looks at themes of the information society in historical context. It covers, Jeremy Bentham, Charles Babbage, and Francis Galton. A scholarly as well as a gorgeously produced film. "A Mobile World" investigates telecommunications development from the perspective of citizens from Helsinki to the Ivory Coast. It especially concentrates on the use of a "global" discourse as a means for marketing electronic devices. I hope this helps- Phillip

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Search for Articles
by Colleen S. Walsh 23 Oct '01

23 Oct '01

I'm looking for journal articles that discuss the role of the Internet in political lobbying. Many thanks for any data or sources you might have. Colleen Walsh Catholic University 25walsh(a)cua.edu

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community built online encyclopedia
by Bunz, Ulla K 23 Oct '01

23 Oct '01

One of the assignments in my senior level "Communication and New Technologies" class is a group project called Tech Update. Students love it, and sometimes you get real jewels. In small groups, students are required to find new technologies or new applications of existing technologies and report on (positive and negative) effects these technologies have on society in general, and our lives in specific. I'd like to share today's Tech Update topic with you, because I think it is very related to some of the discussions we've had on this list, such as the community built listserve database we are currently considering. Today's Tech Update will be about Wikipedia [http://wikipedia.com/] an online, community built encyclopedia. It exists in multiple languages (though the English site is largest). EVERYONE can edit EVERY PAGE of this online encyclopedia. The site/database is backed up once a week. Obviously, this creates many issues, such as credibility of information, active history shaping, etc., but what an excellent example of community built cyber culture! What a very exciting discussion topic, and what a wonderful case study this would make. ulla ******************************************** Ulla K. Bunz Ph.D. Candidate, Teaching Assistant University of Kansas 102 Bailey Lawrence, KS 66045 785-864-1160 ulla(a)ukans.edu ******************************************** Never Surrender ... ********************************************

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In the event of catastrophe: Legislating through the Internet
by Jennifer Stromer-Galley 23 Oct '01

23 Oct '01

Some of you might be interested in what the Democrats are proposing the nation do if Congress were forced to flee for a prolonged period of time from the Capitol. ~Jen Annenberg School for Communication University of Pennsylvania jstromer(a)asc.upenn.edu http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/jstromer ================================== NEW DEMOCRATS ONLINE -- NEW DEM DAILY -- Pithy news and commentary from the DLC. ================================== [ http://www.ndol.org ] 23-OCT-2001 Legislating By Any Means Necessary The anthrax attack on Senator Daschle's office, and the brief shutdown of Congress to allow biohazard teams to check out the Capitol and the members' office buildings, have led to some quiet but serious talk in Washington about what to do if future attacks make regular Congressional deliberations impractical or unsafe. (The American Enterprise Institute went a step further with a ghoulish panel discussion entitled "What If Congress Was Obliterated?" about the constitutional implications of a full-scale terrorist attack on the Capitol.) Believe it or not, there's precedent for Congressional action in physical emergencies. During the Revolutionary War, as the British army advanced on Philadelphia, the Continental Congress was forced to scramble and run for the hills in order to evade capture. But members of Congress agreed before their evacuation on a place to reconvene and carry on our fledgling nation's business -- most notably, to continue handling the purse strings of government during the prosecution of the war. (During the War of 1812, of course, the British actually burned the Capitol and the White House, but withdrew so quickly that the operations of government were not significantly interrupted.) No one is expecting this kind of contingency, but additional interruptions of Congressional sessions are entirely possible. According to the Wall Street Journal, the White House has been prodding Congress to give the President spending authority to keep the government operating for as much as 30 days at a time if lawmakers can't convene and the necessary appropriations for cabinet departments expire. ("Even before the anthrax scare," the Journal noted in its Oct. 22 report, "pressures generated by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks played havoc with the year-end congressional schedule. Anti-terrorism and airport-security bills have consumed time and created new obstacles to action on appropriations and other bills pending at the time of the disaster.") The pros and cons of the White House's idea aside, the specter of an enemy aiming to disrupt or destroy the Capitol points to the need for Congress to have back-up plans for convening and carrying on with the nation's business. There are obviously several state capitols near Washington that could theoretically provide temporary facilities for the U.S. Congress in a pinch, but modern information technology could also allow for another scenario: an electronic Congress. Here's how it could work: * A website could easily be built that would facilitate virtually all of the business normally conducted on the floors of the House and Senate, or in committees -- from debates, to mark-ups to votes. * The site could just as easily be built to be administered through the Internet, so physical proximity to the box where it's actually running would be irrelevant. In a national emergency, if the Capitol itself is in danger or is actually attacked, members could log on from wherever they are. * The means of authenticating a member of Congress would likely need to be several cuts above a simple password -- possibly involving bio-metrics, or human verification -- so the best system might require members spread around the country to go the nearest state capitol or city hall to use special kiosks there. * Once online, just as in the offline world, staff from the offices of the respective chambers' majority leaders would have administrative access to control the agenda, and other members could log on to enter arguments into the record and vote. * The site could be open to the public on a read-only basis, so citizens could watch their representatives much as they can now on C-SPAN. This scheme may not be as not as far-fetched as it might initially seem. Congress is already a generation behind much of the private sector in using information technologies to conduct business in the absence of physical meetings. Indeed, long before September 11, there were proposals circulating for electronic voting and web- enabled debates and committee meetings so that members could spend less time in Washington and more time in their states and districts. We admire the dedication of Congressional leaders in believing they should set an example for the country by returning to normal business as quickly as possible after the anthrax attack. But we can overcome terrorists by our brainpower and our technology as well as by our courage. At a minimum, Congress may want to consider technological means for conducting some of the nation's legislative business when members can't physically convene in Washington, as potentially a good thing in and of itself. At the same time, they could create a contingency plan for keeping Congress running, even if the Capitol is shut down.

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FW: vitual symposium on the written word in the digital world
by Nancy Baym 23 Oct '01

23 Oct '01

Screens and networks: towards a new relationship with the written word (October 2001-March 2002) * A virtual symposium on the Web, at www.text-e.org * Organized by the BibliothËque publique d'information (BPI) Centre Pompidou, the Institut Jean Nicod (CNRS) and EURO-EDU * in association with GiantChair.com * Sponsored by UNESCO New Information and Communication Technologies (NICT) are transforming our world as radically as did the invention of the printing press. How will this affect the written word and its uses in society? There may be no immediate answers to these questions, but we can -and should- investigate the issues involved. In this context, the Bibliothque publique d'information (BPI), the Institut Jean Nicod (CNRS and EHESS), the non-profit organization EURO-EDU and GiantChair, have decided to set up a virtual symposium in French, Italian and English. Launched on October 15th, 2001, it will focus on the impact of NITC on our relationship with information and the written word. This international symposium should contribute to enriching current debates about the emergence of hybrid tools of communication (e-books, Internet and e-mail) and the social changes that accompany them. The contributors papers will be published directly on the symposiums host site, www.text-e.org and will be accessible from the BPIs main site (www.bpi.fr) It will involve theorists and other professionals affected by changes in their professional and personal lives brought about by e-mail and the Internet, and it will examine the impact of these technologies on reading, journalism, scholarship, libraries, archives, literature and so on. The symposium will provide participants with a forum for the discussion of all points of view. Through this program, we aim at once to engage in a collective research project, to enact the new relationship to the written word and to stage a public event using Web-based communication. The result will be published in book as well as in electronic format. PROGRAM The focal point of the project is the establishment of a Web-based event, beginning on October 15th, 2001 and ending in March 2002. Ten contributors, including theorists and those involved in new information technologies, will be invited to submit a paper for discussion. A new paper will be published on the site every two weeks. Each paper will be discussed on-line for the two weeks following its publication by some forty participants, comprising the ten contributors and thirty guests. Discussions will be chaired by the organizers. These papers, together with the ensuing discussions, will be made available to the public. Those wishing to follow the symposium will be able to register, receive the papers by e-mail and participate in a forum. Initial perspectives on the event will be debated at the Paris book fair, the Salon du livre, in March 2002. TOPICS AND SCHEDULE 15-31 October 2001 1. Readers and Reading in the Age of Electronic Texts (Roger Chartier, EHESS, Paris) 1-14 November 2001 2. What the Internet tells us about the Real Nature of the Book (Roberto Casati, Institut Jean Nicod, C.N.R.S., Paris) 15-30 November 2001 3. Skyreading/writing in the Post-Gutenbergian Galaxy (Stevan Harnad, Behavioral and Brain Sciences) 1-14 December 2001 4. Digital Journalism: Virtual Journalism? (Bruno Patino, Le Monde Interactif) 15-31 December 2001 5. Personal and Professional Conversation (Theodore Zeldin, Oxford) 1-14 January 2002 6. Reading: The Digital Future (Jason Epstein, Random House) 15-31 January 2002 7. Babel and the Vintage Selection: Libraries in the Digital Age (Bibliothque publique dinformation, Centre Pompidou) 1-14 February 2002 8. Reading without Writing (Dan Sperber, Institut Jean Nicod, C.N.R.S., Paris) 15-28 February 2002 9. The New Architecture of Information (Stephana Broadbent and Francesco Cara, IconMedialab, Paris) 1-14 March 2002 10. Authors and Authority (Umberto Eco, University of Bologna) 15 March 2002 Conclusions THE ORGANIZERS THE BIBLIOTHEQUE PUBLIQUE D¥INFORMATION (BPI - FRENCH PUBLIC INFORMATION LIBRARY) The Bibliothque publique dinformation is a major French publicic reference library, providing the general public with open access to virtually all of its holdings, whatever the type of media. In addition to Internet access, the library offers on-site consultation of books, newspapers and magazines, documentary films, records, language-learning methods and software programs covering all fields of knowledge. Holdings are constantly updated, and librarians are available to help readers locate material. The library organizes training on the use of NICTs, especially the Internet, as well as talks, screenings and exhibitions. www.bpi.fr E-mail address: bpi-info(a)bpi.fr Isabelle BASTIAN-DUPLEIXÝ Danielle CHATELÝ GÈrald GRUNBERG, Director Philippe GUILLERMEÝ THE BPIS SERVICE ETUDES ET RECHERCHES (STUDIES AND RESEARCH DEPARTMENT) The BPIs studies and research department carries out and/or steers sociological studies on books, reading and cultural practises. Extending beyond the immediate context of the BPI, the department plays a dual role of carrying out assessments and research. At the request of the Direction du Livre et de la Lecture (DLL), it initiates and monitors studies, offers expert services outside the BPI and conducts its own internal research on subjects of interest to both the BPI and other public libraries. It also acts as a publisher and heads the &lsquostudies and research collection of the BPIs publications. AgnËs CAMUS-VIGUE Christophe EVANS FranÁoise GAUDET THE INSTITUT JEAN NICOD The Institut Jean Nicod (CNRS) brings together researchers working on the relationship between the cognitive and the social sciences. The main areas of study include philosophy, linguistics, cognitive anthropology and political science. While philosophy is the leading discipline, the groups investigations go beyond pure theory, as the Institute also aims at reconciling conceptual thinking with an empirical approach. www.institutnicod.org Roberto CASATI Dan SPERBER EURO-EDU The recently created EURO-EDU (Association Europenne pour le Dveloppement de lEnseignement Suprieur et de la Recherche sur Internet - the European association for the development of higher education and research on the Internet), a non-profit organization, is devoted to studying the impact of NICTs on the development and transmission of knowledge. It aims at developing web tools, web workshops, discussion groups and research papers around the changes of educational systems and the diffusion of culture. www.euro-edu.com Gloria ORIGGI (Chair) Noga ARIKHA GIANTCHAIR, sponsor Screens, networks, the distribution of knowledge and the transformation of our relationship with the written word are all key issues for GiantChair, which specializes in helping publishing houses, libraries, universities and academic communities with the implementation of new methods of publishing and distribution. With a presence on both sides of the Atlantic, GiantChair is playing an active role in compiling a catalogue of digital publications from such publishers as the Paris-based Eyrolles, Arcade Publishing and Seven Stories Press in New York, and is already involved in the distribution of the first ebooks from these publishers. info(a)giantchair.com www.giantchair.com ChloÈ BENAROYA, partner. Pierre COHEN-TANUGI, Administrateur. Cory MCCLOUD, PrÈsident. Aalam WASSEFÝ, partner. MODERATORS Noga ARIKHA Noga Arikha has recently completed a doctorate at the Warburg Institute, London. She is a historian of ideas with an interest in the philosophy of mind, the cognitive sciences and the history of life sciences. She is also concerned with the establishment of dialogues between disciplines, between the academic and the public spheres, and between the sciences and the humanities. Gloria ORIGGI Gloria Origgi is researcher in philosophy at the University of Bologna, where she teaches philosophy and cognitive science. In 2000 she founded the EURO-EDU Association for developing Internet-based research projects. She is author of essays in philosophy of mind and epistemology. She is also in the faculty of the Graduate School in Information and Communication Technologies Almaweb, Bologna Italy. http://gloriaoriggi.free.fr _________________________________________________________ Nancy Baym nbaym(a)ku.edu http://www.ku.edu/home/nbaym Communication Studies, University of Kansas 102 Bailey, 1440 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA VP, Association of Internet Researchers: http://aoir.org

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just passing on...
by Bram Dov Abramson 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

FACULTY POSITIONS - PROFESSOR Department of Communication UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL The Department of Communication of l'Université de Montréal is recruiting candidates for several open positions as full-time professor. The successful candidates will have demonstrated research interests in the following thematic areas: communication and knowledge, understanding interfaces, globalization, and governance. Special consideration will be given to candidates with expertise in one of the following areas: - Organizational communication in networked, innovative or participatory organizations which generate new knowledge and experience new modes of governance; or external communication practices of organizations which are redefined in the new economy and globalization contexts; - Design and analysis of information management and exchange systems and interfaces in fields such as health, education and business; - Economic, cultural, sociopolitical or legal aspects of the new globalized communication environment, including its international, transcultural, regulatory and institutional dimensions and its political economy; - Analysis, design and implementation of political communication strategies in institutions, organizations and collectivities. The ability to teach quantitative methods of analysis is an asset. QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must possess (or be about to obtain) a Ph.D. in communication or a related discipline and possess relevant research experience in one or more of the thematic areas mentioned above. They will have demonstrated dynamism and creativity in research and teaching. A working knowledge of French is an asset. DUTIES: Successful candidates will be expected to teach theoretical or methodological courses (in French) at undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels in mediated communication and/or organizational communication, as well as supervise graduate students, conduct research, publish, contribute to the field and assume administrative responsibilities. STARTING DATE: June 1st, 2002. The Université de Montréal offers competitive salaries accompanied by a complete range of benefits. APPLICATION DEADLINE: Candidates should submit a curriculum vitae, along with three letters of reference, copies of recent publications, and a description of research interests (2-3 pages maximum) no later than January 7, 2002, to: André A. Lafrance, chair, Department of Communication, Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal (Québec), Canada, H3C 3J7. Phone: (514) 343-7819; E-mail : depcom(a)umontreal.ca Positions will remain open until they are filled. In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, this advertisement is directed primarily to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The Université de Montréal is committed to employment equity and to a positive action program aimed at reducing gender imbalance. -- / Bram Dov Abramson / babramson(a)telegeography.com / / Director of Internet Research / TeleGeography, Inc. / / tel: +1 202 741 0047 (new numbers) / fax: +1 202 741 0021 (we've moved)

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Re: [Air-l] Films/Pedagogy
by Wendy Robinson 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

I often show clips of the following tapes: * Cyberspace Week tapes from TLC (1997) * Nerds 2.0.1 from PBS (1998) * 1900 House from PBS (2000) * Beyond Human from PBS (2001) And encourage students to watch some of these films on their own and/or I've made one of the essays writing on one or two of these films: * Metropolis (1926 -- students often like the Giorgio Moroder release, 1984) * Frankenstein (1931 & various -- essential, of course) * Fahrenheit 451 (1965 -- book by Ray Bradbury) * 2001 (1968 -- will be re-released next year) * Tron (1982 -- another will be released next year, there was a 1994 video game) * Blade Runner (1982 -- I agree is essential, book by Philip K. Dick) * WarGames (1983) * Brazil (1985) * RoboCop (1987 -- franchise with other films, cartoons, ancillary products) * Lawnmower Man (1992 -- book by Stephen King) * Sneakers (1992) * Johnny Mnemonic (1995 -- script by William Gibson) * Terminator & T2 (1991 -- franchise, including 3D version ride, T3 coming next year) * Disclosure (1994 -- book by Michael Crichton) * Hackers (1995) * The Net (1995 -- teevee series in 1998) * Strange Days (1995 -- script by James Cameron, based on book by Gibson) * The Matrix (1999 -- two more versions in pre-production) * Lara Croft (2001 -- girl games obviously, film franchise in the works) * A.I. (2001 -- based loosely on a Stanley Kubrick script) There's also a Gibson film/tape that I've been meaning to view from the early 1990s. And I would love to see _StartUp.com_. If it's on tape yet, I'll definitely show it. More marginal is Coppola's _Nosferatu_ (1990), which may be useful at this time of year. It has a great sequence with silent films and shows the role of communication technology within Victorian society throughout (typewriters, telegraph, cinematograph), but it's part of the texture of the film, not overt. I use _1900 House_ for the same reason. It's sort of a _Survivor_, with a contemporary family experiencing late Victorian, middle-class technology for three months -- they go bonkers eventually. _1900_ is particularly useful for heightening awareness of domestic technology and the role that technology and related consumption, with the class issues that fall out, play in women's lives. The "best"? Or "classics"? I think students don't have basic cyber literacy unless they've seen at least part of _Metro_ and HAL from _2001_. There are so many pop culture interextual references about computers (many commercials draw on _2001_, such as a Mac ad in 1999) and cyborgs taking over the earth that draw on those two films as reference points that I find them essential, despite their age. And there is high quality criticism as well. Students often like the films too, if they can be coaxed along a bit. You'll see that I've defined "cyber" pretty broadly. Four primary reasons: 1) To encourage students to think outside the <box>Internet</box>. Just because characters in the film use the Net, doesn't necessarily mean that the film is about what the Net is about, the world that the Net represents, if that makes sense (e.g., computer monitors and email are ubiquitous -- so what?). 2) Problems with the quality/age of many of the films; therefore students' appreciation may be diminished. Movie stars and action/FX are good for capturing their imaginations. _Johnny Mneumonic_ and _Hackers_ are *awful* films, but they do have some good sequences and it's fun, if argued the right way, to see Keanu Reeves (never more wooden) and Angelina Jolie in early performances. Pierce Brosnan in _Lawnmower_ is a hoot too. 3) Nevertheless viewing older films helps slip in some historical sensitivity to tech, state of the art of yesterday. And, of course, newer may not be "better." _The Matrix_ is watered down Gibson, but most students don't realize it. 4) Facile vilification of the Net/technology in some films, dumbing down for broader audience appreciation (e.g., _The Net_). A wider selection with more thoughtful films encourages less preachy or binary judgmental essays. With my subject matter, it's an occupational hazard. I too am interested in the final list that shakes out. Thanks for the thread. Wendy Robinson wgrobin(a)duke.edu www.duke.edu/~wgrobin wgrobin(a)email.unc.edu ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Instructor: Ethics and the Internet, REL 185.04 a.k.a. E&I 2.0: Pervasive Computing in the Digital Age ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Duke University Department of Religion 118 Gray Bldg, Box 90964 Durham, NC 27708 office: 02CC Perkins Library voice mail: (919) 681-1702 www.duke.edu/~wgrobin/ethics/ fax: (919) 660-3530

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teaching with film
by Sandra Braman 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

gore vidal's SCREENING HISTORY offers the best argument i've ever seen for teaching with film. sandra braman

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