HSTAA 317 - HISTORY OF THE DIGITAL AGE

HSTAA 317 - HISTORY OF THE DIGITAL AGE | Winter 2025

DOWNLOADABLE COURSE SYLLABUS HERE

Lectures: MW 10:00-11:20 - Raitt Hall 121
Sections: F 8:30-9:20 (MGH 082A), 9:30-10:20 (LOW 222), or 12:30-1:20 (PAB B164)

Prof. Margaret O'Mara (she/her)
Email: momara@uw.edu
Office location: Smith Hall 312A
Office hours: W 1:00-3:00

TA: Hannah Scherr
Email: hlscherr@uw.edu
Office location: Smith Hall 214
Office hours: M 12:00-1:00 and Th 11:00-12:00

Welcome! This is an upper-level undergraduate lecture course on the history of America’s digital age, tracing the evolution of the computer hardware and software industries from the Manhattan Project and mainframes of the 1940s to the social media and software giants of today. We’ll explore the historical origins of American technology companies and regions, trace the impact of digital technologies on global business and society, unearth the human stories and political histories behind digital tech, and historicize and contextualize today’s debates about digital technologies and platforms.

This is a class for students who build, study, or use digital technology—in short, everyone. No prerequisites required.

Learning goals:

• Understand the key public- and private-sector catalysts of industrial development in the technology sector;
• Situate technology’s history within broader developments in modern American history;
• Critically assess, and contest, common narratives about the technology industry, digital technology, and the people who lead and work in that industry; and
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the historical context of data and digital data production, and understand data as a product of that social context.

Readings:

All required course texts are electronic and available via Canvas. You will be asked to rent two streaming films, which you are welcome to watch together with class colleagues and share the expense, or the popcorn. Expect to read 75-100 pages per week (or multimedia sources that take approximately the same amount of time to consume). To read, make sure you are signed into your computer with your UWNet ID.

A resource that may be useful for general reference and chronology over the course of the quarter is the Computer History Museum’s online exhibition featuring various timelines of computer history.

Assignments:

• Class engagement: consistent and active quiz section participation and associated assignments, attention and engagement in lectures and post-lecture Q&A, timely and consistent submission of ungraded homework assignments. (20 points)
• Five discussion posts: 400- to 500-word discussion posts on additional short reading, to be posted on Canvas on Fridays by 11:59PM. You choose the weeks you want to post. See assignment description on Canvas for full assignment details. (5 points per post, for 25 points total)
• Midterm exam: 80-minute, closed-book written exam of original essays on lecture/reading content from the first six weeks of the quarter, taken in person during class time Wednesday, February 19. See assignment description on Canvas for full assignment details. (20 points)
• Final mini exam: 40-minute, closed-book written exam of original essays on lecture/reading content from the last four weeks of the quarter, taken in person during quiz section Friday, March 14. See assignment description on Canvas for full assignment details. (10 points)
• Final research project: on a topic of your choosing that relates to the history and evolution of the digital age, and/or historicizes a current digital phenomenon. You choose the format:
  • a footnoted paper of 1250-1750 words (8-12 double-spaced pages) in length;
  • a scripted podcast of 15 minutes or less;
  • a video presentation;
  • a web page;
  • an app, program, or widget;
  • a visualization, photodocumentary, or another piece of visual art.

Whatever its form, it should make an argument based on primary and secondary sources, and should include a written bibliography or running credits. Proposal is due on Canvas on Friday, February 28 (5 points). Final project is due on Canvas Wednesday, March 19 (20 points). See Canvas for full assignment details.

Book list for further (optional) reading is here.

The course policy page, which includes links to writing and studying resources and a grade scale for the course, can be found here. The History Department syllabus attachment, with all policies regarding religious and other accommodations as well as Covid-19 and related health precautions, is found here I encourage you to read both carefully, as they should answer most if not all questions you have about course procedures and policies. 

Click on the links below to go to the modules and assigned readings for each week.

READ AND DOWNLOAD THE FULL COURSE SYLLABUS HERE