Theories of Texts and Technology

Exploring the connections between radical politics, avant garde art and popular music are natural magnets to a child of the 60’s-70’s, and Massumi suggests that cultural studies by its being “affectively engaged, yet largely disinterested” (non-judgmental approach to illuminating the singular, qualitatively transformative event) give rise to a political ecology. When confronted with images and experiences that illuminate gaps between cultural and political generalized norms it arouses awareness of the potential of becoming.
Hansen also reminds us that in order to obtain “agency” we must “imitate cultural images of how particular bodies should appear” and “give up our singular bodily experiences.”
For my research project, I would like to explore some of the ways that digital cultural archives and heritage projects are illuminating the “singular” or potential for the community it represents. How do cultural and historical websites function to promote or inhibit the manifestation of the singular? The artistic fringe? The potentiality of community and place providing its residents fulfillment or individuation?
I realize my interests might mirror those of real estate and business owners, who would want to represent their community as offering something for everyone. My interest, however, is exploring some of the ways in which digital technologies are being used to challenge concepts of community and identification with community. I would like to study a few “digital cultural heritage projects” with the above-mentioned questions in mind, with the eventual purpose of helping to create and establish a digital cultural archive of my students’ community. My research project, will thus, be in the form of a paper with a suggested outline for creating a digital archive.