This course looks at a new kind of literature: that which makes use of digital, or electronic, technologies. We will begin with the book—the original digital reading technology—and end with wikis, and explore many other genres of digital literature along the way. In addition to close readings of digital works, we will also examine the theoretical and contextual issues involved in digital literature. This includes considering the differences between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 digital forms.
For many, digital literary works do not qualify as “literature.” A major goal of the course is to explore what we mean by “literature,” and how digital works might fit into that definition. There will also be a large “praxis” component of the class as students, individually and in groups, will create digital works as a way of understanding how digital literature functions.