Cyborgs! Confronting the Posthuman

Exams
Mid-term exam
Final exam
 

Handouts

Essay Instructions

Evolution of Capitalism and the Arts
 

Bourdieu Chart:  Symbolic Space and Social Space

Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Humanism and Posthumanism

Web Links

posthuman.com (scientific and philosophical)

Sci-Fi.Com

The SF Site:  The Best in Science Fiction and Fantasy

Science Fiction Weekly

Alpha Ralpha Boulevard:  Sci-fi and Fantasy Bibliographies

Science Fiction Research Bibliography (excellent)

Even more sci-fi links!

Marxist Internet Archive

Miscellaneous
 

Essay guidelines

This course will focus on literary representations of cyborgs (cybernetic organisms) and associated critical essays. Cyborg literature explores numerous identity issues, ranging from gender, to sexuality, to AI, to life extension, to the very meaning of “human” itself.

Critical essays
Donna Haraway: "A Cyborg Manifesto"
N. Katherine Hayles: "What Does it Mean to be Posthuman?" (conclusion)
      Niran Abbas: Review and Summary of Hayles

Short stories
William Gibson: "Burning Chrome"
---. "The Gernsback Continuum"

Others on library reserve by Doc Smith, Asimov, Bear: http://swan.missouri.edu/search/pBurling/pburling/1%2C2%2C4%2CB/frameset&FF=pburling+william+msu&1%2C%2C2

Novels
Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

William Gibson, Idoru

Richard Morgan, Altered Carbon

Neal Stephanson, Snow Crash

Bruce Sterling, Holy Fire