In this class, students will first learn some fundamentals of cultural heritage informatics and be introduced to the major kinds of institutions in this space: galleries, libraries, archives, and museums. Students will also see case studies of how fundamental concepts like access or metadata get used in contemporary examples.

This course we will explore the concepts and values of open knowledge and knowledge equity and how they intersect with the ongoing evolution of digital environments. Open knowledge can be described as information that is freely available to the public to use and redistribute. Knowledge equity extends beyond information access and use to also include what is valued as knowledge, whom that knowledge represents, and who creates it.

Engage in modern ethical dilemmas within archives, libraries, and museums, considering issues of collections management and preservation within changing cultural frameworks. This I 320C topic carries the Cultural Diversity in the United States flag. The purpose of the Cultural Diversity in the United States Flag is for students to explore in-depth the shared practices and beliefs of one or more underrepresented cultural groups subject to persistent marginalization. In addition to learning about these diverse groups in relation to their specific contexts, you’ll also reflect on your own cultural experiences.

This course introduces digital archival collections that can be accessed and used as data for research and inquiry. Topics will focus on the transformation, analysis, and interpretation of digital cultural heritage in archival contexts, including digitization, web archiving, software emulation, and data archiving. From text messages, Spotify playlists, to the President's tweets--how are digital traces collected, preserved and managed by archives? What are the ethics of managing digital archives and making them accessible to researchers, the public, and machines?

What stories does rubble tell? This course investigates how demolitions have shaped the social and material lives of cities in a range of urban contexts. Course sections will follow the razing of singularly meaningful sites along with broad patterns of demolition in cities throughout the world, from Chicago to Paris and São  Paulo to Austin. Specific questions that will recur throughout the course include: How do demolitions change places and the meanings attached to them? Why do authorities bulldoze certain structures and not others? Where do dislocated residents go? How have demolitions contributed to uneven urban development, including through patterns of segregation, economic immobility, and inequality, across space and time?   Source materials will include historical maps, city plans, oral histories, and music that preserves razed spaces in popular memory.   Students will learn to use digital mapping tools to document, analyze, and visualize social and spatial change related to demolitions over time. They will also re/map and narrative the life and destruction a significant demolished space. No prior experience with mapping or programming is required; students interested in learning foundational mapping skills in a supportive and structured environment are welcome. 

Explore common data collection, management, and sharing practices around information technology and emerging technologies such as AI. Students will gain hands on experiences with collecting, analyzing, and managing user data in ethical and responsible manners. Students will design data-driven systems that are centered around user consent, transparency, and social responsibilities.

This course provides an overview of the major subject areas, ideas, concepts, and theories of Information Studies and introduces the basics of research, publication, and academic conventions in Information Studies. Prerequisites: Admission to the doctoral program and consent of the graduate advisor.

An overview of the nature and purposes of research, and common methods and methodologies in information studies.

An overview of concepts, results, and perspectives from philosophical, social science, humanistic, design, and technological disciplines that provide important underpinnings for information studies.