ENGL 214 - Cyberpunk / Tech-Noir

Credit(s): 3
Prerequisite(s): ENGL 112 or ENGL 192.
Students in this class will read and discuss “cyberpunk” and related “tech-noir” fiction, meaning, fiction that explores the current and near-future states of social media, technology, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, and other immersive online environments (e.g. MMOs). Students will consider the benefits and dangers of humanity’s increasing interweave with such technology and online/virtual realities—with the way that humanity is becoming posthuman or cyborg. In addition to studying literature, students will study and discuss other relevant media: i.e. techmedia, Technology/Entertainment/Design (TED) talks, and other visual media depicting tech-noir/cyberpunk stories and situations.