Contemporary Theories of Technology and the Politics of Difference

The goal of this course is to think critically about the nature of technology and its role in social life, as well as its effects on the earth. We examine how technologies emerge within complex causal networks that distribute difference through imperial racialization and contemporary forms of colonialism. Central questions include: What is technology? How do social values become embedded in technical systems? Has technology become autonomous, shaping how we think, live, and act? Under what conditions might existing technologies be redirected toward liberatory ends? By engaging these questions, the course develops critical perspectives on the metaphysical, epistemological, ethical, and political dimensions of technological life.