Heuristic: Networks & Relationships

 

What is this?: The assignment below is adapted from simplifications of tagmemics—it’s 1/3 of a heuristic strategy called the “Three Perspectives Guide.” The perspective is “RELATIONAL,” which asks you to think about networks and the relationships between your artifact, other artifacts,  larger cultural contexts, and cultural values and practices. (Notes on Heuristics and Tagmemics are here, though they’re probably not needed to complete this assignment—especially if you were in class on Friday, 10/28).

How do I do it? (Technically): Copy and paste what’s below the line into a new blog post. Replace “MY RESPONSE…” with your responses. Give your post a title (perhaps a summary of most interesting thing you wrote?), tick the “artifact networks & relationships” category box, and publish before class time on Wednesday, 11/2.

How do I do it? (like… what do I write?): Don’t think of what’s below as questions—think of them as prompts—designed to help you see a topic from different perspectives, and to help you generate questions and ideas about a topic—fruitful, interesting areas of inquiry that are worth thinking about, reading about, and writing about.

For each of the prompts (numbers 1–9, different than the numbering on the paper copy I handed out in class), write your thoughts. The point is to think broadly, perhaps creatively, strangely, or illogically—stretch the boundaries and think outside the box. I expect more than one “idea” for each prompt—you should find yourself writing more for some and less for others—but be thorough and engage in good faith.

An Example: For (a wildly imperfect) example, let’s say my artifact is “college syllabus.” For #2—How do you classify your artifact? In what groups can you place your artifact? What connections can you make to other artifacts in the group?—I might write….

Classifications:

  • A syllabus is a contract between governing body (SUS), institution (FAU), instructor, and student.
  • It’s a map.
  • It’s a schedule.
  • It’s an introduction and overview.
  • It’s an institutional document, but also, a community document (shared between individuals in a class) and a personal document (it’s a representation of who I am, what I teach, and how I teach).
  • It’s law, written in stone (for some, it’s unchanging and inflexible). It’s also a rough guidelines (for others, it’s just an idea and some goals—it’s a living thing that can change).

Draw Connections:

  • Syllabi have to contain various bits of information to satisfy accreditation, state, institution, and departmental requirements. But also, it should represent the instructor, the discipline, and the course material. Sometimes the institutional stuff and the classroom/personal stuff conflict.
  • The institution demands I include sections like the OSD/ADA (Office of Students with Disabilities, Americans’ with Disabilities Act) to let students know I am (and the course is, the institution is) willing and eager to meet whatever needs they have. There are other “accommodations” I should include, like not-quite-trigger-warnings, but some statement about how students should feel free to leave the classroom if anything is too emotional or uncomfortable for them. I’m not trigger-warning-happy, but I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable, or make it difficult for anyone to sit and learn in my class.
  • …… (sorry, I’m writing this on the fly for students who need additional explanation)

Credit: This post will count towards one of your two required journal posts due in either week 10 or week 11 (your choice). In other words, it will take the place of a “readings” or “ideas” post in either of those two weeks (because it was assigned in week 10 and due in week 11, it can count towards either week, whichever week you’re behind on).

COPY & PASTE TEXT BELOW LINE INTO A BLOG POST  |  USE CATEGORY “ARTIFACT NETWORKS & RELATIONSHIPS”

1. My chosen artifact is…

MY RESPONSE…

Classify your artifact. Classifications are helpful to understanding your artifact. Once you’ve placed your particular artifact in a larger group, you can make connections between your artifact and the general characteristics associated with that group. In addition, sometimes describing your artifact from within a larger, more generalized framework makes it easier to identify important features. Usually, an artifact can classified in various ways and placed in a number of groups.

2. How do you classify your artifact? In what groups can you place your artifact? What connections can you make to other artifacts in the group?

MY RESPONSE…

Compare and contrast the artifact. Comparing your artifact to others allows you to generate new ideas about your artifact.

3. Identify points of similarity between your artifact and others. Then identify points of difference with other artifacts. How is it similar? How is it different?

MY RESPONSE…

Create an analogy or metaphor for your artifact. Analogies and metaphors are ways of making connections between your artifact and other artifacts (anything goes… items of clothing, locations, holidays, texts, products, etc.). Be creative here… try to make (il)logical leaps.

4. What metaphors or analogies suit your artifact? (Explain if needed)

MY RESPONSE…

Examine cultural narratives. Cultural narratives are common storylines used throughout culture, telling how things typically happen. Once you identify cultural narratives that apply to your artifact, you can examine them for assumptions and stereotypes. For example, stereotypes (or rigid, generalized ideas about the character and behavior of people with certain identities) are a kind of assumption (or set of assumptions). As with cultural narratives, you may think you are not affected by these assumptions and stereotypes. However, their pervasive presence in the culture means that everyone is affected by them. Naming these assumptions stereotypes can aid you when describing the impact of culture and values on your particular artifact (or your artifact’s impact on culture and values).

The assumptions operating in cultural narratives found in movie plots and song lyrics also get played out in social practices and social institutions. Social practices are shared, habitual ways of doing things. A variety of guidelines exist for the social practice of dating, for instance: who will initiate the date, who will decide where to go, who will pay. Social institutions are larger, more formalized organization the direct our shared social structures. Questions to explore (pick and choose):

5. How is your artifact characterized? (How do people/media/groups characterize it?)

MY RESPONSE…

6. What cultural narratives govern your artifact?

MY RESPONSE…

7. What assumptions, stereotypes, habits, social practices, and institutions frame your artifact?

MY RESPONSE…

8. What doctrines or practices affect your artifact? (Or, what doctrines or practices you’re your artifact affect?) Political parties and platforms? Religious? Ideological? Which ones? Are there cultural “rules” and practices? Which?

MY RESPONSE…

9. How does your artifact affect culture? How does culture affect your artifact?

MY RESPONSE…