Course Details
Course offered Autumn 2023
HONORS 210 C: Library Mashup: Reframing and Remixing Archives (A&H, DIV, W)
HONORS 210 C: Library Mashup: Reframing and Remixing Archives (A&H, DIV, W)
SLN 16347 (View UW registration info »)
Office: Suzzallo Library 370A, Box 352900
Phone: 206 616-1210
Email: vallier@uw.edu
Credits: 5
Limit: 35 students
Remixes have emerged as one of today’s most popular modes of expression. From DJ Spooky’s “Rebirth of a Nation” to the ceaseless onslaught of TikTok mashups, remixes have the power to convey a multiplicity of meanings. This class will use the practice of remix as a foil to explore, interpret, and critique the world of archives and library special collections. Students will learn how to practically navigate the world of in-person archives, both on and off UW’s campus. As part of this process we will learn about archives’ history of colonial extraction, biased and racist description, and such issues as “archival silence.” Students will situate these explorations through literature in remix studies and present these critiques by way of remixing and reframing archival materials they discover. In addition to hands training in digital media editing and copyright law, we will trace the roots of remix to core concepts (e.g., imitatio and mimesis) and practices (e.g., film collage, plunderphonics, fan-vidding, dub, and hip hop).