Exam Preparation

To help prepare for your exam, we have provided a list of potential IDs here.

This class will explore the history of the United States from 1980 to the present through the lens of the information revolution that occurred during this period. We will examine the origins of technological changes like the mainframe computer, cable television, and the emergence of the internet and the impact that they had on the economy, politics and social interaction. We will consider the ways in which the speed and ease of access to information served as a catalyst for globalization. On the one hand, the combination of cable and satellite technology brought news of distant places into every living room. On the other hand, the powerful ability to collect and sort data allowed individuals to express a range of preferences and be targeted based upon these preferences in ways that created a variety of new identities and associations. Among other topics, we will consider the relationship between identity and the information revolution, the remilitarization of America and the way it shaped digital technology, futuristic visions of the digital age, politics in the digital age and the ways in which digital technology changed the way Americans work and play.

Class will be organized around lectures on Mondays and Weds.  Thursdays will be devoted primarily to discussion and class exercises prepared for section. Readings and required films should be completed before discussion section each week.  The course requirements include a five page paper, a mid-term, a research project that examines key digital events in your life and the life of a relative over the age of fifty and a final exam.  Participation in discussion and class exercises are an important part of the class.