Note: This schedule may be updated over the course of the semester. Please consult the on-line version for the most up-to-date assignments.
| Date | Topic | Readings due | Homework due | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28 | Introduction to course (Handouts: Student Questionnaire; Instructions for Wiki) |
|||
| Understanding the Problem | ||||
| Sept 4 | The state of the planet: Overview of current environmental issues (Summary of our discussion of environmental issues) |
Climate Change: A Primer, from Rough Guide to Climate Change From Science's special series on 'The State of the Planet': Smith: The Shape We're In Jenkins: Prospects for Biodiversity Stocking: Tropical Soils and Food Security Pauly et al.: The Future for Fisheries Gleick: Global Freshwater Resources Chow et al: Energy Resources and Global Development Akimoto: Global Air Quality and Pollution Karl and Trenberth: Modern Global Climate Change Cronon: Changes in the Land, Chapters 1-2 |
Homework 1 | |
| Sept 11 | The intertwining of nature and culture |
Cronon: Changes in the Land, Chapters 3-8 |
Homework 2 | |
| Sept 18 | Technology as control of nature (Handout on modernism) |
John McPhee: Atchafalaya; from The Control of Nature, pp 3-94 James Scott: Nature and Space; from Seeing Like a State, pp. 11-22 |
Homework 3 | |
| Sept 25 | IT as control |
Edwards: Scene 1: Operation Igloo White (excerpt from Chapter 1, "We Defend Every Place"); from The Closed World, pp. 3-15 Robinson, Hall, Hovendon, and Rachel: Postmodern Software Development |
Homework 4 | |
| Bases for solutions: Rethinking IT design | ||||
| Oct 2 | Eco-art (Handouts: Ecovention Competition, Living Water Garden) |
Spaid: Ecovention (Note: also available as paperback) |
Short Essay 1 | |
| Oct 9 | Fall Break |
|||
| Oct 16 | Art and design as intervention (Slides) |
Shusterman: Breaking Out of the White Cube Lacy: Metaphoric Landscape and Cultural Journeys Stegall: Design for Sustainability Garcia and Lovink: The ABC of Tactical Media Jeremijenko: Feral Robotic Dogs Jeremijenko: Environmental Health Clinic Thompson, Oppenheimer, Van Soestbergen, Parry: Public Smog Hooker and Kitchen: Electroplex Heights |
Homework 5 | |
| Exploring answers | ||||
| Oct 23 | Making the invisible visible (Slides) Final project workshop |
Wodiczko: Interventionist design Holmes: Eco-Visualization Jeremijenko: A Futureproofed Power Meter Spanhake: Airwaves Preemptive Media: AIR Polli: Airlight Taipei, T2 Hooker, Sepulveda, and Gaver: Data Climates, Urban Meteorology and Data Climates Hooker and Kitchen: DataNature |
Homework 6 | |
| Oct 30 | Interpreting information: adding subjective meaning and value to objective facts and spaces |
Daston and Galison: The Image of Objectivity Jeremijenko: Statement Balkin, Stringfellow, Halbur: Invisible5 Polli: N. |
Homework 7 | |
| Nov 6 | Seeing from others' perspectives Final project workshop |
Dunne: Transparency; from Hertzian Tales, pp. 30-36 Polli: The Fly's Eye da Costa: PigeonBlog Jeremijenko: Ooz Jeremijenko: Amphibious Architecture |
||
| Nov 13 | Repositioning waste |
Strasser: Toward a History of Trash-Making Glatt and Singer: Designing the Phoenix Solid Waste Management Facility Jensen: Commissioning the Phoenix Solid Waste Management Facility Eric Paulos and Tom Jenkins: Urban Probes |
Homework 8 | |
| Bringing environmental thinking into design itself | ||||
| Nov 20 | Design and waste |
McDonough and Braungart, Cradle to Cradle, Introduction - Chapter Two |
Short Essay 2 Note: a half-letter grade extra credit will be granted to anyone who hands the essay in by 11/15. |
|
| Nov 27 | Waste and e-Waste Final project workshop |
McDonough and Braungart, Cradle to Cradle, Chapter Three-Six Thackara: Lightness; from In the Bubble Schmidt: Unfair Trade E-Waste in Africa Optional: Jain and Wullert: Challenges Optional: Gabrys: Electronic Waste Optional: Blevis: Sustainable Interaction Design Optional: Ogg: Recycling E-Waste Into Modern Art |
Homework 9 | |
| Dec 10: Final project due | ||||