RHE 330D CULTURAL STUDIES &
TECH COMM
This course explores the intersection of cultural studies and technical communication, examining how cultural, social, and political contexts shape the evolution of communication practices in technical fields. Through a historical lens, students will analyze key moments in the development of technical and professional communication (TPC) as influence of cultural studies. Topics covered include gender and sexuality, race, institutional critique, workplace studies, and the impact of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and wearable devices on communication strategies.
By examining these issues, students will gain insight into the ways in which TPC both reflects and shapes societal values and power structures. Through case studies, readings, and critical analysis, the course highlights how technical communicators have historically responded to cultural shifts, and how they continue to navigate the complexities of communication in a diverse, rapidly evolving world. Students will also explore the ethical considerations involved in representing identity, technology, and power dynamics in technical texts, preparing them to be more thoughtful and socially aware practitioners in the field.
This course challenges students to consider the broader implications of technical communication, inviting them to critically assess the role of culture in shaping both the practice and the practitioners of technical communication in the workplace.
Syllabus
This course syllabus provides an overview of the course design with respect to learning goals, expectations, assignments, and readings. Feel free to borrow or modify this design. I only ask that you provide attribution somewhere in your syllabus and encourage others to do the same.
Case Studies
Case studies are lowstakes, in-class activities that help students to sharpen their ability to write, research, and intervene in complex sociotechnical issues. Each case study presents students with a scenario—ranging from survey design to public document analysis—that reveals how technical documents are shaped by and reinforce cultural norms, institutional power, and social inequalities. These activities help students analyze how meaning is constructed and contested in technical communication, while also encouraging them to reflect on technical communicators' ethical responsibilities across contexts.Through collaborative analysis and discussion, students build their skills in unpacking and critiquing the assumptions embedded in seemingly neutral texts and design responses that are socially aware and rhetorically effective.
Article Presentations
For this assignment, students collaborate with a partner to deliver a 5-10 minute presentation on a scholarly article related to a specific topic in technical communication. Their presentations summarize the key points of the articles and connect them to other class readings. As part of their presentation, they are also asked to design a handout and pose 1-2 thoughtful questions that encourage discussion for the session.
Major Project: Ignite Talks
For this assignment, students delivered an Ignite Talk about their final project--"What is Technical Communication and What does it Have to Do with Cultural Studies?" Student projects ranged from ASL interpretors as technical communicators to representations of consent in online documentation on BDSM websites to librarians as technical communicators to analyses of the design of websites that track officer-involved shootings to global Bible translation through the lens of cross-cultural communication.