Medium Theory, Ecological Holism, and the Transformation of World Order

Response paper on Medium Theory, Ecological Holism, and the Transformation of World Order

• Why does Deibert criticize the way in which his field of International Relations approaches the analysis of communication?
• Where does Deibert see the value in medium theory?
• Where does Deibert see the drawbacks of medium theory? To answer this question, you'll need to engage with the terms "technological determinism" and "monocausal reductionism"
• Why and how does Deibert use the Darwinian theory of evolution to analyze communication?

Response papers will be presented orally at the beginning of class (no reading from the screen or a piece of paper). They are discussion starters and guidelines. Response papers will be submitted to our FOL Discussion as web documents and will be shared with the whole class (useful documents for final essay and final exam).

Response papers are designed as a space for you to engage critically with class texts and to be conceptually explorative. The goal of the response paper is for you to develop the skills necessary for (1) summarizing, (2) critically responding to others’ positions, and (3) applying abstract concepts to concrete examples in our technological communications culture. Hence, your response paper will have three parts:

I. Summary

II. Critical response

III. Application

Part I: Summarize concisely, accurately, and without plagiarizing.

Part II:

• Assess how persuasive the argument or points made in the article are.
• Address any weaknesses or oversights in the article.

Part III:

• Assess how the idea or concept introduced in the article actually applies to how we communicate and the communications technologies we use. For instance, pick one communications technology or platform (e.g., cell phone, smart phone, television, smart television, telegraph, book, Internet, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Google, SMS, photography, maps, etc.) and apply it to the concept/idea raised in the article.
• Try to get your fellow students involved. Give them a task or get them to discuss a question that’ll help them to apply the concept and arrive at conclusions.