Course Description

Instructor and Course Information

ENGL 459, 659 Advanced Special Topics in Language, Literature, or Culture
Topic: The Future of the Book
Course Site: http://parlormultimedia.com/futurebook

Riggs 223, MW 2:30-3:45; Section 001
Instructor: David Blakesley
Office Hrs: MW 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. and by appt.
Office: Strode 616
Ph: 864.656.3151
Fax: 206.600.5076
E-Mail: dblakes@clemson.edu

Overview

This course will explore the future of the printed and digital book from historical (or prophetic), theoretical, and productive/generative perspectives. Readings focus on the history of the book and its cultural impact, the emergence of the digital age and its challenge to the lingering hegemony of print, the crisis in scholarly publishing, and the broader nature of publishing industries in the twenty-first century. In addition to reading responses and projects, students will develop or work with new book projects to explore emergent models and processes of composition, design, collaboration, production, dissemination, promotion, and distribution.

Required Texts

Course texts have been ordered through the Clemson bookstore and should be in about September 1. These texts won't appear on the calendar until after September 1.

• Darnton, Robert. The Case for Books: Past, Present, and Future. New York: PublicAffairs, 2009. ISBN: 978-1-586-48826-0
• Eisenstein, Elizabeth L. The Printing Revolution in Early Modern Europe. 2nd edition. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2005. ISBN: 978-0521607742
• Ong, Walter. Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word. 2nd edition. London and New York: Routledge, 2002. ISBN: 978-0415281294
• Striphas, Ted. The Late Age of Print: Everyday Book Culture from Consumerism to Control. New York: Columbia UP, 2009. ISBN: 978-0231148146
• Thompson, John B. Books in the Digital Age: The Transformation of Academic and Higher Education Publishing in Britain and the United States. Cambridge: UK: Polity Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0-7456-3477-7
• Thompson, John B. Merchants of Culture: The Publishing Business in the Twenty-First Century. Cambridge: UK: Polity Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0-7456-4786-9  [Released October 2010]

We will start with The Case for Books (Darnton). You will also see online (free) readings on the course calendar. Please be sure to read and respond to these works before the day they're listed on the calendar.

Course Goals

• Learn about the social, economic, and historical conditions of books and book publishing.
• Develop outlooks on the future of the book as material, cultural, and intellectual artifacts.
• Express your understanding of the future of the book in writing and other public forms of presentation (multimedia, installation, digital)
• Work collaboratively as part of a class team in a networked environment on an installation or other type of exhibit
• Explore a wide range of books in a variety of media and delivery systems, from paper to ebook, focusing on usability and user-centered design

Course Projects and Activities

Future of the Book Blog

Throughout the semester I want you to write two new posts per week in a blog that you keep either at the course website or at your own blog site. Your blog can focus on anything related to course topics, themes, or reading. At least one of your responses per week should be directly tied to course readings for that week. Each post should be 200-300 words (longer if desired) and follow the principles of good online writing discussed in class. Also, each week you should read and respond to at least three posts of your peers with relevant comments, advice, challenges, or kudos. You should start your blog in Week 2. (30% of course grade)

Group Project

As a group, the class will collaborate on a public exhibition and supporting documents focused on the future of the book, to be presented at the end of the semester, either in the Pearce Center, Lee Gallery, or some other location. The group project will be discussed and planned in and out of class, starting in Week 2. Graduate students will serve as project leaders on this project. (20% of course grade)

Usabilty Study / User-Centered Design Project

Choose one kind of book (anything from print to ebook, with variations between) and design and conduct a usability study that examines the book's functionality, uses, design and then reports the results in a short written report with supporting visual or other content. This project will be published at the course website. (20% of course grade; individual or collaborative)

Individual Project

Work individually on a major course project that explores the future of the book. Your project should ultimately take the form of a book that reflects your perspective or illustrates your view on the future of the book. You'll be asked to give periodic updates on your project after it is formally introduced in Week 4. (30% of course grade)

Grading

Each major course project will be comprised of several components, each of which will be worth a percentage of your final grade. Components will be graded on the standard plus-minus letter-grade scale: A=100-94, A-=93-90, B+==89-87, B=86-84, B-=83-80, C+=79-77, C=76-74, C-=73-70, D+=69-67, D=66-64, D-=63-60, F=59 or below.

Attendance

Attendance is required at all scheduled meetings. Three absences may result in your final grade being lowered by as much as a letter grade. More than three absences can result in a failing grade for the course. Excused absences will only be granted for religious holidays or university-sponsored events, provided you make a written request to me no less than two weeks in advance and that you complete any required work before the due date. Being excessively or regularly late for class can also be counted as an absence. Note: If the instructor is late to class, you only need to wait ten minutes.

Academic Integrity

Clemson students and their instructors are expected to adhere to the community and ethical standards for behavior and academic integrity at the University:

"As members of the Clemson University community, we have inherited Thomas Green Clemson's vision of this institution as a "high seminary of learning." Fundamental to this vision is a mutual commitment to truthfulness, honor, and responsibility, without which we cannot earn the trust 2 and respect of others. Furthermore, we recognize that academic dishonesty detracts from the value of a Clemson degree. Therefore, we shall not tolerate lying, cheating, or stealing in any form."

"When, in the opinion of a faculty member, there is evidence that a student has committed an act of academic dishonesty, the faculty member shall make a formal written charge of academic dishonesty, including a description of the misconduct, to the Associate Dean for Curriculum in the Office of Undergraduate Studies. At the same time, the faculty member may, but is not required to, inform each involved student privately of the nature of the alleged charge."

Unless otherwise noted in assignment guidelines, you should not submit work for this course that has been submitted for a grade in other courses.

In Case of a Campus Emergency

In the event of a major campus emergency, course requirements, deadlines and grading percentages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a revised semester calendar or other circumstances. You can acquire updated information from the course website, by emailing me, or by contacting me through the English Department at (864) 656-3151.

Late Work

The majority of missed class assignments cannot be made up. If a serious and unavoidable problem arises, however, you should contact me in writing prior to the deadline to determine whether or not an extension for the work will or will not be granted.