Media in Cultural Context
This MIT seminar traces the history of reading and the written word, from Sumerian clay tablets through medieval manuscripts, print culture, and the rise of electronic text. Readings and discussion topics examine how different media, from the codex to hypertext, shape what a text means and how it is used. The course materials, provided through MIT OpenCourseWare, include the full syllabus, a detailed reading list spanning several eras of textual technology, and discussion questions used to guide seminar sessions. There is no video lecture component; the course is built around close reading and in-class discussion of primary and secondary sources. It suits anyone curious about how the physical form of a text, whether clay, parchment, paper, or screen, has influenced the ideas it carries. Free to access, with no certificate offered.