“If the 1980s gave birth to media theory, and the 1990s were the decade of networks, we are now living under the spell of the platform. As the word indicates, the tendency is to move upwards – to centralize, integrate and synthesize. While network ideology boasted its decentralized nature, platform culture stands proud to announce that the Family of Man has finally found its common home.” — Geert Lovink

The Transcriptions Center in the English Dept. is happy to invite anyone interested (undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff) to our first reading group event of the year on Friday, October 21, 2022, from 10:30AM-12PM in the Transcriptions Center (South Hall 2509). Coffee and brunch-time snacks provided! The event kicks off our year-long Transcriptions Center series of events on work, leisure, politics, and relationships in the age of the “platform” (highlighted in January by a visit from Dutch network theorist and critic Geert Lovink). In our first event this Friday, we will consider:

• What is/was a network society?
• What is a platform? Platform studies? Platform capitalism?

We will begin with selections from Lovink (introduction to Social Media Abyss, 2016) and Manuel Castells (prologue to The Rise of the Network Society, 1996).

For access to copies of the readings in advance of the meeting, please contact Leila Stegemoeller <lstegemoeller@ucsb.edu>. (Also let Leila know if you would like hybrid access to the meeting.) We hope that, no matter how much of the readings you are able to get through, you can join us!