School of Library Science
University of Arizona
LIS 400/500: Social Constructs of Information

Fall, 1996: Seavey

Students are responsible for knowing the contents of this syllabus and completing all assignments in accordance with the schedule herein. If it is in here, you are expected to know it.

This course focuses on information as it is used, and defined, by society. The primary lens, or theoretical background, used in this investigation is the notion of "cultural hegemony," proposed by Antonio Gramsci. We will study information as both a reflection and shaper of society, and society as a reflection and shaper of information. The relationship of libraries and other information agencies to the state, and the role of information professionals in the political and cultural spheres are central themes in the course.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The most important objective of all: the development and demonstration of critical thinking skills.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

3. Semester Paper (50%). Select an information agency or structure^*. How does that agency or structure reflect (or not) the cutural hegemony of that portion of society it is designed to serve? If it is designed to serve the entire population, does it, in fact, do so? What can we learn about both the agency/structure, and its contextual society, by looking at both through the concept of cultural hegemony?

*by information structure I mean a system designed to provide access, or deliver, information that can be used across a number of agencies. LCSH would be an example of an information structure. So would the copyright system.

Pay particular attention to "How to Write for This Course" later in the syllabus. Obviously for 50% of your grade I expect an in-depth treatment, with appropriate structure and presentation.

4. Final exam. Take home (25%).

GRADING

Grades are calculated using a spreadsheet program. There is no rounding up for computing final grades.

Work completed in a competent and timely fashion receives a grade of B. The grade of A is reserved for truly outstanding work. In graduate school a grade of C can be regarded as a failure.

Text and Assigned Readings

Sasson, Anne Showstack. Gramsci's Politics. 2nd. ed. University of Minnesota Press, 1987.

Landy, Marcia. Film, Politics, and Gramsci. University of Minnesota Press, 1994.

There are a myriad of Gramsci books around. These two are a.) in print, b.) in paperback, and c.)readable. Gramsci himself wrote in Italian, and in the sometimes tortured language of the Italian far left of the 1920s. Marxist language is often laden with terminology that is not always obvious to non-practitioners of that end of the spectrum. Some of Gramsci's later writings had to be published under the watchful eye of Mussolini's fascist government which didn't do too much for clarity. A fair number of Gramsci's works have been translated. If you get interested there is a bibliography available here or via FTP from Jafar.sir.arizona.edu. The version on Jafar is in both WinWord (.doc), WordPerfect (.wpd), and as an RTF document.

It is expected that students will do a considerable amount of reading outside of the assignments.

Schedule of Events and Readings.

As of this writing (6/4/96) I have not settled on the final schedule. In general the first third of the course will be weighted heavily towards the theoretical background and an understanding of Gramsci's notions. The latter two-thirds will be focused on the interaction of information systems, including libraries, and the socio-political-cultural milieu in which they exist. The final schedule will probably not appear until early August.

COMMUNICATIONS

I will check my email several times a day. You can leave a message for me in my mailbox. If the announced office hours are inconvenient, please see me for an appointment.

A listserv is setup for the class. The name is LIS500. All students are required to subscribe to the listserv, and are encouraged to use it. I expect you to be on the listserv by the end of the first week of classes. At the end of each week the professor will pose a question on the list and expects debate to ensue. All grades, changes in the schedule, and any other important information will be distributed via the listserv.

In addition to the above the SLS maintains a general listserv for student use. ARIZSLS@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU may be subscribed to by sending a subscription message to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU. The message should read: subscribe arizsls (your name). Use your name, not (your name).

Listservs are the primary communications tool used by the School, and your professor. If information was imparted on the lists, and you missed it, you have only yourself to blame.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

1. Late papers will be graded down. No exceptions.

2. We expect papers to be typewritten in clear, concise, and grammatically correct English. Papers not meeting these standards will be redone until they do so, losing points along the way. Suggestions on how to write for this course are attached.

3A. If your word processor/computer combination supports true proportional spacing you may use full justification. If your equipment does not, or you don't know what this means, don't use full justification. I prefer a ragged right margin to funny spacing in the lines.

3B. If your word processor/computer combination supports true proportional spacing you may use full justification. If your equipment does not, or you don't know what this means, don't use full justification. I prefer a ragged right margin to funny spacing in the lines.

3A is correct according to the directions. 3B is incorrect. Kindly take this seriously.

4. THE FOLLOWING POLICY APPLIES TO WORK DONE FOR THIS CLASS:

Students assume full responsibility for the content and integrity of the academic work they submit. The guiding principle of academic integrity shall be that a student's submitted work, examinations, reports or projects must be that student's own work. Actions constituting a violation of the Code shall include those outlined below. Students shall be guilty of violating the Code and be subject to proceedings under it if they:

a.. Represent the work of others as their own.

b. Use or obtain unauthorized assistance in any academic work.

c. Give unauthorized assistance to other students.

d. Modify, without faculty approval, an examination, paper, record, or report for the purpose of obtaining additional credit

e. Fail to meet other conditions of academic integrity as required by a faculty member for a specific course.

The material in bold is excerpted from the University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity, as printed in the University Handbook for Appointed Personnel. There are also excerpts from the Code in the SLS student organization handbook. See also an electronic version if you have any questions.

If you are not sure what any of this means, find out. I interpret this very strictly. Unless specific permission is granted for group, or team projects, we expect that your work will reflect only you own efforts.

I further expect you to know the meaning of the term "plagiarism," and make very sure you understand how to properly use, and cite, the work of others in your papers. This is a zero tolerance situation.

*****************************************************************

HOW TO WRITE FOR THIS COURSE

"Say a thing in one sentence as straight as it can be made, and then drop it."

William James

I expect that papers for a graduate level course will be written as if for publication. Not only must the basic facts of the subject be mastered, and all the relevant sources explored, but the text must be written clearly:

1. Who, what, where, when, and exactly how much must always be obvious.

Know what you wish to say, and say only that; define new terms or new uses of old ones.

2. Avoid ambiguity.

"You can't put too much water in a nuclear reactor."

3. Link sentences and paragraphs logically and intelligibly. The reader shouldn't have to rearrange your ideas to make sense out of them.

4. Sentences should not be so long that the reader loses his or her way. Otherwise you are likely to lose the readers attention, as so often happened with the prose of 19th century essayists such as Oliver Wendell Holmes, who was not only a doctor, professor, and novelist, but also the father of the famous Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (an intriguing character who combined the ideals of New England humanism with the prejudices of the upper­class, wealthy society in which he moved)...and before you know it you will have wandered very far afield.

For practice, read lots of Jesse Shera. Or Winston Churchill.

5. Avoid irrelevant or tangential topics. Stick to the point.

[see number 4}

6. No obstacle should come between you and your reader.

When revising, imagine the reader over your shoulder and apply the rules listed above before typing your final product.