City University of Hong Kong

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1 City University of Hong Kong Information on a Course offered by School of Creative Media with effect from Semester A in 2012 / 2013 Part I Course Title: Archiving and Social Investigation Course Code: SM4705 Course Duration: One semester No. of Credit Units: 3 Level: B4 Medium of Instruction: English Prerequisites: (Course Code and Title) SM2706 Critical Theory & Socially Engaged Practices Precursors: (Course Code and Title) SM2702 Interdisciplinary Practices in Art, Science, and the Humanities Equivalent Courses: (Course Code and Title) N/A Exclusive Courses: (Course Code and Title) N/A Part II 1. Course Aims: This course aims to explore archiving as research, critique and artistic intervention. The course would begin with a survey on the concept and genealogy of the archive, followed by its paths of evolvement due to the growing emphasis of the everyday, a result of the rise of photography and re-definitions within the discipline of Cultural Studies. With such a basis, the course examines the new meanings of the practice of archiving especially with innovations introduced by digital tools and platforms. Archiving in this course is taught to students who may use this practice to produce social knowledge, as a research methodology for artistic creation, and to experiment with the promises and limits of digital archive construction. On the research side, ethno-methodologies and visual ethnography will be covered. On the theory/history side, theories of photography and a critical view on the history of documentary are necessary, especially to broaden the discussion of

2 documentary as a genre into a historical survey of documentary impulses in human society. The course will use case studies from artists, documentary makers, anthropologists and digital archivists extensively to draw insight. The main course work requires field research and the creation of the prototype of an archive for future development. 2. Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs) Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to: No. CILOs 1. Discuss the practice of archiving on digital platforms in relation to the history of the archive and archival practices 2. Conduct field research effectively, including collecting and organizing 3. Practice archiving with sound purposes and methodology.*4. Create a prototype of an archive that shows promises in production of social knowledge (content + organization) *5. Understand ethical dilemmas in research process and demonstrate commitment to high ethical standards *6 Generate personal insight as a result of critical interpretation of the experience of the research process * Negotiated Learning Outcome (NLO) explicitly articulating the elements of Discovery oriented learning. 3. Teaching and learning Activities (TLAs) Indicative of likely activities and tasks students will undertake to learn in this course. Final details will be provided to students in their first week of attendance in this course. TLAs ILO No Lectures & workshops CILO 1, 2, 5 In-class case studies CILO 1 Group in-class presentation of a case study CILO 1 In-class presentation of research-archiving process CILO 3, Short take-home exercises to fine-tune research methods CILO 2-3, 5 -Final Project: the completion of a digital archive CILO 3-6

3 4. Assessment Tasks/Activities Indicative of likely activities and tasks students will undertake to learn in this course. Final details will be provided to students in their first week of attendance in this course. Type of assessment tasks/activities -Mid-term in-class presentation of a case study of an archive from a recommended list (Group presentation with additional individual 1-page notes) Weighting (if applicable) ILO No 30% CILO 1 -In-class presentation of research archiving process 10% CILO 2, 3, 5-3 Short take-home exercises to practice individual tasks in the research and archiving process (e.g. coding, tagging, classification, frame analysis, photo reading) 30% (10% per exercise) CILO 2, 3 -Final Project: the completion of a digital archive with a sound critical statement on its objectives, process, design and the kind of knowledge it produces. 30% CILO 3, 4, 5, 6 5. Grading of Student Achievement: Refer to Grading of Courses in the Academic Regulations. 100% coursework Grading pattern: Standard (A+, A, A- F) A. Research and Archiving Process Exercises Students should demonstrate ability to utilize primary and secondary sources, build up argument and analysis. The threshold of discovery lies in the students ability to negotiate the multiple meanings of an object or a situation and to turn problems and obstacles into useful, constructive research questions. Letter A+ A A- Point Definitions Excellent Description Excellent grasp of research material, able to explain key concepts, assumptions and debates Rigorous organization, coherent structure, distinct thesis, properly argued with strong narrative Insightful interpretation of the subject matter with distinct themes and thesis Critical analysis with insightful comments opening up new issues, or suggesting the ability to theorize Ability to approach a text or a theme using a variety of theories and analytical tools Strong bibliography suggesting breadth and depth of coverage and informed insights B+ B B Good Firm grasp of materials, able to explain key concepts and assumptions Reasonable organization, balanced structure, adequate content, sufficient ability to integrate various resources based on demand Clear ideas which keep to the point, clear-cut subject, ability to interpret opinions independently Organized bibliography which can be utilized in accordance with the topic

4 C+ C C Adequate Comprehensive grasp of materials, able to explain key concepts Fair organization, weak structure, adequate content, fair ability to integrate various resources based on demand Relevant points to the subject matter, fair ability to interpret opinions Unorganized bibliography which can be utilized in accordance with the topic D 1.0 Marginal Loose grasp of materials, cannot explain key concepts Poor organization and structure, weak content, limited use of resources Relevant points to the subject matter, marginal ability to interpret opinions Insufficient and/or unorganized bibliography F 0.0 Failure Poor grasp of materials No organization and structure, inadequate content, no/ irrelevant use of resources Irrelevant points to the subject matter, minimal ability to interpret opinions Irrelevant bibliography Note: All A+/A/A- grade assignment should comply with the highest performance of Discovery-oriented learning. B. In-Class Presentation This assessment will grade on content and fluency of presentation. Students should show their co-operation to conduct a well-organized presentation with their own argument and evidence from readings and notes. Students should show their readiness to conduct a well-organized presentation with their own argument and evidence from readings and notes. The threshold of discovery lies in their ability to negotiate a constructive analysis of their field experience that can be turned into new objectives in the making of future experiences. Letter A+ A A- Point Definitions Excellent Description Rich, informative content, excellent grasp of the material with in-depth and extensive knowledge of the subject matter Rigorous organization, coherent structure, and systematic exposition with a strong sense of narrative Superior presentation skills: distinct pronunciation, fluent expression and appropriate diction, exact time-management Critical analysis with insightful comments opening up new issues, or suggesting the ability to theorize B+ B B Good Adequate content with firm grasp of the material that informs the audience on a subject matter Reasonable organization, balanced structure and composition Good verbal communication: comprehensible pronunciation, fluent expression and diction, fair time-management C+ C C Adequate Adequate content with comprehensive grasp of the material demonstrating basic knowledge of the subject matter Fair organization, weak structure and composition Fair presentation skills: acceptable pronunciation, expression and diction, fair time-management D 1.0 Marginal Weak content, loose grasp of the general ideas with some knowledge of the subject matter Poor organization, structure and composition Poor presentation skills: marginal pronunciation, expression and diction, poor time-management

5 F 0.0 Failure Inadequate content, fail to identify the general ideas with knowledge of the subject matter No organization, structure or/and composition Poor presentation skills: marginal pronunciation, expression and diction, minimal time-management Note: All A+/A/A- grade assignment should comply with the highest performance of Discovery-oriented learning. C. Final Project Students should demonstrate ability to utilize primary and secondary sources, execute creative ideas and projects. The threshold of discovery lies in a student s proactively turning theory into praxis, to transform course material into self-owned authorship and, most importantly, establishing an archive that discovers knowledge for its user. Letter A+ A A- Point Definitions Excellent Description Work has strong affective quality and the articulation of personal styles and signature Excellent appreciation, exploration and/or application of the aesthetic and expressive qualities of the medium Work raises questions and instill insights about the process of conception, creative strategization and production Generate knowledge for the researched field with informative details. B+ B B Good Strong appreciation, exploration and/or application of the aesthetic and expressive qualities of the medium Ability to create project/ work that demonstrate the processes of thinking and creative exploration Proper adjustment of plans and strategies in response to resources (time, space, equipment, etc) available and constructive feedback/ suggestions C+ C C Adequate Basic appreciation and/or application of the aesthetic and expressive qualities of the medium Limited ability to create project/ work that demonstrate the processes of thinking and creative exploration Adjustment of plans and strategies in response to resources (time, space, equipment, etc) available D 1.0 Marginal Marginal appreciation of the aesthetic and expressive qualities of the medium Marginal ability to create project/ work that demonstrate the processes of thinking and creative exploration Limited adjustment of plans and strategies in response to resources (time, space, equipment, etc) available F 0.0 Failure No appreciation of the aesthetics and expressive qualities of the medium Fail to create project/ work that demonstrate the processes of thinking and creative exploration Minimal adjustment of plans and strategies in response to resources (time, space, equipment, etc) available Note: All A+/A/A- grade assignment should comply with the highest performance of Discovery-oriented learning.

6 Part III Keyword Syllabus: Archive: the archaeology of knowledge The politics of archiving: gaps between remembering and knowing From archive to archiving; from the use of archive to archiving strategies Archive/archiving and history-writing History of everyday life; theorizing the everyday Photography and the everyday: expanded theories of photography (usage, articulation, the performative) The lives of things The use of fragments: documentary fragments in archives and their use Archiving in the context of new media Archiving impulse in contemporary art; archiving as critical practice Documentary impulse in media: a revisionist view on documentary and newmedia practice Photo and image research Visual ethnography Interface design Case studies: E.g. Walter Benjamin s Arcade Projects, Walid Raad and the Atlas Group, YouTube, Norman Klein s Bleeding Through (history of Los Angeles), OldBeijing.net, Aby Warburg ( Mnemosyne-Atlas ), Gerhard Richter s Atlas, Zeo Leonard s photography, World Listening Project, Man with a Movie Camera: the global remake, Peter Greenaway s Tulse Luper s Suitcase, Tjebbe Van Tijen s Art Action Academia (Imaginary Museum Projects), Eugene Atget: Paris 1900 (CD- ROM by Bibliotheque nationale de France) etc. Recommended Reading: Text(s): Buckland, Michael K.. (2006) What is a Document? in Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 48(9): , September. Chun, Wendy Hui Kyong, (2006): Control and Freedom. Power and Paranoia in the Age of Fiber Optics. MIT Press, Cambridge. Cummings, Neil (ed.). (1993) Reading Things (Sight Works, volume 3). Chance Books, London. Dovey, Jon (2002) 'Notes Toward a Hypertextual Theory of Narrative', The New Screen Media: Cinema/Art/Narrative, Martin Riesser (ed.). BFI Publishing Enwezor, Okwui. (2008) Archive Fever Uses of the Document in Contemporary Art; catalogue for an exhibition at the International Center of Photography, New York, January 18-May 4. ICP, New York; Steidel, Gottingen, Germany.

7 Foucault, Michel, 1982: The Archaeology of Knowledge & the Discourse on Language, Pantheon., (1986): Of Other Spaces ; trans. Jay Miskowiec. (Originally titled Des Espaces Autres and published in French journal Architecture-Mouvement-Continuite, in October 1984) Diacritics 16 spring, Gleber, Anke. (1999) The Art of Taking a Walk: Flanerie, Literature, and Film in Weimar Culture. Princeton University Press, Princeton. Jobs, Sebastian; Luedtke, Alf, eds., (2010) Unsettling History: Archiving and Narrating in Historiography. Campus Verlag, Frankfurt, New York Kelty, Christopher M., 2008: The Cultural Significance of Free Software: Two Bits, Duke University Press, Durham and London. Manovich, Lev. (2001) Database as a Symbolic Form, in chapter 5 of The Language of New Media. MIT Press, Cambridge.. Info-Aesthetics: Information and Form, a semi open source book/web site in progress, at: Shields, Rob. (1994) Fancy footwork: Walter Benjamin s notes on flanerie, in Keith Tester (ed.) The Flaneur. Routledge, London and New York. Pp Online Resources: Harrison, Dew: (2005) Digital archiving as an art practice, in Anna Bentkowska-Kafel, Trish Cashen and Hazel Gardiner (eds.), Digital Visual Culture: theory and practice. Winget, Megan A.; and Ramirez, Maris L. (2006) "Developing a Meaningful Digital Selfarchiving Model: Archival Theory Vs Natural Behavior in the Minds of Carolina Research Project." Proceedings of the American Society of Information, Science and Technology. 43.1; at: