COMM 489A Black Discourse and Digital Communication Course Syllabus

In this course, we will explore the history of Black discourse and orality and how the unique communicative traditions of African diasporic people in the U.S., were formed in relation to technological skill. In this process, we will discuss how the parallel development of racism and Black cultural traditions have equipped Black users to wield digital technology skills in ways that often outpace and differ from the dominant group. We will then interrogate manifestations of this use by reading/exploring digital technologies and academic writings about them. Students will investigate the different mechanisms by which communication researchers can study Black users and discourse (social scientific, interpretive and critical methods) with a specific emphasis on critical cultural studies methods and digital humanities tools. Finally, we will together design a digital artifact that demonstrates our increased knowledge on the subject and makes this knowledge accessible to a public of our choosing.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/191447/1/Walcott, COMM 498A Syllabus, 2023.pdfDescription of Walcott, COMM 498A Syllabus, 2023.pdf : Course SyllabusSEL