COMM 101SU: Cyborgs, Sexbots, and Artificial Wombs: An Introduction to Feminist Science and Technology Studies

Course Description

Technology is always gendered. From our daily interactions with facial recognition systems to far-fetched dreams of automating reproduction through "artificial wombs," gender is often baked into technological systems that we see as both normal and extraordinary. As our world becomes increasingly mediated by digital technologies and artificial intelligence, longstanding ideas about gender, sex, and the body are both reinforced and called into question. This course will turn to the field of feminist science and technology studies to address important questions about six key areas of interest: gender expression, reproduction, sex/sexuality, the family, gendered labor, and the environment. These questions include: What ideas are baked into automated systems meant to categorize gender? How does technology mediate sex and what are the consequences? How do monitoring technologies affect contemporary family structures? What can we learn from the long quest to automate and augment reproduction? Readings will be drawn from a variety of sources ¿ academic papers, magazine articles, and popular media sources. We will also analyze podcasts, films, and video essays, to support a variety of learning styles. By the end of the course, you will have a solid understanding of the key issues in feminist science and technology studies. You will also sharpen your ability to think and write about gender, sex, and technology.