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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "EXP 1014"
COURSE NAME: "Memes, Viral Media and Internet Culture (Please note that this class cannot be taken remotely)"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Spring 2022
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
Alberto Micali
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
FRI 9:00-1:00 PM [Course meets on: February 25, March 11, April 1 and April 15]
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
15
CREDITS:
1
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Grading: This course will be graded on a PASS/FAIL scale
The term ‘meme’ applies to a word, phrase or image that spreads throughout a culture and can carry subversive, underground or mainstream meanings. In this course, students will critically engage with the political, ethical and aesthetic considerations of memes which have arisen specifically from internet culture. Students will be encouraged to explore and consider theoretical notions through the production of static or animated memes. Via this practical engagement, using online apps such as giphy and makeameme, students will explore the processes which lead to an image going viral as they to produce and promote their own visual media. Finally, class presentations will enable students to critically assess the internet as a medium via a consideration of the memes produced for the course. Throughout the course, issues around surveillance, information leaks, democracy and freedom of speech will underpin a critically engaged practice of creating viral culture and internet ‘memes’.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This course will offer a theoretical and practical approach to the analysis of internet culture via one of its most peculiar medium: memes. Memes will be critically approached by firstly overviewing their historical conceptualisation and development to contemporary culture. Then the networking viral logic of memes beyond their signification, as well as recent examples, will be discussed and put into context. Each student will be involved in the practical process of undertaking research on existing memes and their circulation, as well as producing memes and gifs as output. Students will also be asked to write a 3 page short reflection explaining their memes and contextualising them alongside the theoretical understanding of internet memes and viral culture.
The professor will distribute all course readings.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Grading: This course will be graded on a PASS/FAIL scale
The term ‘meme’ applies to a word, phrase or image that spreads throughout a culture and can carry subversive, underground or mainstream meanings. In this course, students will critically engage with the political, ethical and aesthetic considerations of memes which have arisen specifically from internet culture. Students will be encouraged to explore and consider theoretical notions through the production of static or animated memes. Via this practical engagement, using online apps such as giphy and makeameme, students will explore the processes which lead to an image going viral as they to produce and promote their own visual media. Finally, class presentations will enable students to critically assess the internet as a medium via a consideration of the memes produced for the course. Throughout the course, issues around surveillance, information leaks, democracy and freedom of speech will underpin a critically engaged practice of creating viral culture and internet ‘memes’.
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TEXTBOOK:
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
| Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments |
| Memes in Digital Culture | Limor Shifman | MIT Press | 9780262525435 - 978-0262525435 | | |
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| Pass/Fail | To pass the course students are expected to: Come to each lesson, to produce a set of memes, and to assess them in a written paper of 3 pages. They are also expected to present their memes to the class during the final lesson.
Coming to each lesson means that missing a day of class will automatically lead to fail. | |
-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
Ana
Bna
Cna
Dna
Fna
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Grading: This course will be graded on a PASS/FAIL scale
The term ‘meme’ applies to a word, phrase or image that spreads throughout a culture and can carry subversive, underground or mainstream meanings. In this course, students will critically engage with the political, ethical and aesthetic considerations of memes which have arisen specifically from internet culture. Students will be encouraged to explore and consider theoretical notions through the production of static or animated memes. Via this practical engagement, using online apps such as giphy and makeameme, students will explore the processes which lead to an image going viral as they to produce and promote their own visual media. Finally, class presentations will enable students to critically assess the internet as a medium via a consideration of the memes produced for the course. Throughout the course, issues around surveillance, information leaks, democracy and freedom of speech will underpin a critically engaged practice of creating viral culture and internet ‘memes’.
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ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic
dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred.
In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment,
may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student
who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from
the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation
to the President, who will make the final decision.
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STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap.
Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning
of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
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SCHEDULE
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Schedule:
Day 1
-Meme theoretical definition and brief history: from the selfish gene to NFT
-Project selection and data collection
-Reading (excerpts from) Shifman’s ‘Memes in Digital Culture’ and Lovink’s ‘Memes as strategy: European origins and debates’
Day 2
-The viral logic of networks
-Project developments and memes conceptualisation
-Reading (excerpts from) Mitchell’s ‘What do images want?’, Jenkins' 'Spreadable media', and Sampson‘s ‘Virality’
Day 3
- Memes tools for platform capitalism
- Project developments and memes production
- Reading (excerpts from) INC’s ‘Critical Meme Reader’
Day4
- Class presentations of produced viral images
Selected Bibliography:
- Arkenbout, C. et al (2021) The Critical Meme Reader (INC).
- Jenkins, H., Ford, S, & Green, J (2013) Spredable Media (New York University Press).
- Lovink, G. (2019) Sad by Design (Pluto Press).
- Sampson, T. (2012) Virality. (University of Minnesota Press).
- Shifman, L. (2013) Memes in Digital Culture (The MIT Press).
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