Spring 2009 Advance Course Information

This information effective for spring 2009. Check with instructor the first day of class for any changes.

History of Consciousness

[ HISC-80Q ]

80Q. Science as Culture and Practice

Instructor: Donna Haraway
Phone: 9-4738 (office)
E-Mail: haraway@ucsc.edu

Class Meetings:  Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 am to noon

Course Description

This course is organized around multispecies knots of plants, animals, microbes, knowledges, people, markets, research institutions, justice projects, and daily life that come together in making worlds. How is human nature a multispecies relation?  What are the implications for science as cultural practice, in and out of what gets called “the modern West”?  Bioart, lab practices, new interdisciplinary collaborations in the natural sciences and between these sciences and other knowledge practices, sustainable agriculture around Santa Cruz, agribusiness technologies, gleaning projects and histories, science fiction, activist and indy films, Internet animal studies sites, and more will provide food for thought. Students will be asked to work on a poster project and related 10-page paper throughout the quarter, preferably collaboratively with another student.  Full engagement in sections will be very important.  Grading will be based on: short-answer midterm exam, poster (can be electronic or poster board), final paper (with prospectus & bibliography at midterm), participation in section.

Required Texts

Available at the Literary Guillotine:

Michael Pollan, Omnivore’s Dilemma
Sarah Franklin, Dolly Mixtures
Donna Haraway, When Species Meet

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