This course analyzes fictional and documentary media that investigate our relationship to nature: climate change, pollution, environmental justice, wildlife extinction. The course interprets the word media broadly to include film, games, social media, media-art, big data visualization, simulation and sensing. It examines the consciousness-raising power of film, media and journalism; traces the ecological impact of our obsession with the latest media device; and ponders the relationship between our feelings about our changing planet (denial, engagement, optimism, hopelessness) and our actions.
Contemporary media constructs our understanding of nature and reflects our fears and fantasies about rapidly changing environmental conditions. "Green Media" students read Donna Haraway's text, "Staying with the Trouble" and use her ideas as a lens to analyze projects (fictional & fact-based) that investigate our relationship to climate change, pollution, environmental justice, wildlife extinction. The course interprets the word media broadly to include film, games, podcasts, social media, media-art, big data visualization, simulation and sensing. In the class we unpack questions of the consciousness-raising power of media; engage material perspectives that trace the physical impact of our media obsessions; ask biopolitical questions of human/non-human boundaries; and examine affect-driven attitudes of eco- optimism, pessimism, gaia-ism, nihilism.
During the semester groups of students played video games with environmental themes and created critical presentations of the games. As a walking simulator game, "Walden" aims to provide a relaxing experience by encouraging the players to find inspiration through nature, books, journaling, and simple survival tasks.
During the semester groups of students played video games with environmental themes and created critical presentations of the games. "Never Alone" is a side-scrolling platformer lead by two main characters, Nuna an Iñupiaq girl and Fox the arctic fox. Together they embark on a journey to solve the mystery of the blizzards that are destroying their homes.
During the semester groups of students played video games with environmental themes and created critical presentations of the games. "FAR: Lone Sails" is set in a later time of our "Anthropocene", the harrowing age of mankind's influence.
Below are some of our social media accounts: