Undergraduate Course: Objects of Desire (DESI08009)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Objects surround us; they inflect upon everything we do; they literally determine the world we live in. However, so often they remain taken for granted. In this course we will investigate the capacity that objects have to tell us about the societies in which they were created and used. Based on a combination of historical research, cultural theory and contemporary uses and potential of design, this course will focus on the context of production, materiality and making. It will provide a close study of the representation and consumption of objects and the ways that taste and value contribute to our understanding of the world. All lectures will be delivered by historians, theorists and practitioners from the School of Design. Aims of the course are:
To introduce students to the conceptual and historical aspects of craft and design in Britain.
To encourage students to think broadly about the implications of making, value and taste on the production of objects.
To allow students to undertake a personal project related to the social biography of an object.
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| Course description |
Not entered
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2014/15, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 100 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 10,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 9,
External Visit Hours 6,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 5,
Formative Assessment Hours 5,
Summative Assessment Hours 3,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
158 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
This formative feedback point will give you specific formal feedback on the proposed subject matter of your end-of-course summative essay.
Formative assessment does not count to your final grade/mark but is used to support your learning. Feedback on formative assessment is designed to help you learn more effectively by giving you feedback on your performance and on how it can be improved and/or maintained.
Biography of an object
The final summative submission (due on the 27 November) asks you to create a fully documented biography of an object: Provide a brief description of the physical appearance and materials of the object, followed by an examination of at least one of the following perspectives: social, cultural, historical, or technical context of the object. As well as thinking about the origins, manufacture, use or meaning of your object, you might also want to discuss the object's biography in its present context, for example as a museum or gallery artefact (how it was acquired, what previous uses or exhibitions are associated with it?) You should also include a section explaining why the object is of interest to you.
Your Biography of an Object should fully referenced and (where appropriate) illustrated 3000-word essay. You will receive written feedback, a final grade on each learning outcome and an overall grade for the course.
Remember that Summative Assessment counts towards your final grade/mark and appears on your academic transcript. It evaluates your learning (again the learning outcomes for the course).
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| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the social relations that objects create
- Critically analyse a range of textual and non-textual discourses concerning the production, dissemination and consumption of objects
- Demonstrate the ability to write, talk and visualise narratives about objects and the web of social relations that surrounds them
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Reading List
Bennett, J. (2010). Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of Things. Durham: Duke University Press
Candlin, F & Guins, R. (Eds.) (2009). The Object Reader. London: Routledge
Forty, A. (1986). Objects of Desire: Design and Society since 1750. London: Thames and Hudson
Highmore, B. (Ed.) (2008). The Design Culture Reader. London: Routledge
Julier, G, (2013) The Culture of Design, Sage
Miller, D. (2009). Stuff. London: Polity Press
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Additional Information
| Course URL |
http://www.eca.ed.ac.uk/newelectives2014 |
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Special Arrangements |
After you have discussed taking one of our courses with your Personal Tutor/ School Student Support Office, please contact us to enquire if a place is available at: eca-sso@ed.ac.uk |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Semester 1: Thursday, Weeks 1-10 Lecture 9.00-10.00am in Room JO5 at ECA, Lauriston Campus.
Semester 1: Thursday, Weeks 2-10 Seminar 11.00-12.00 in Room JO5 at ECA, Lauriston Campus. |
| Keywords | Objects, design, craft, history, materiality |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Juliette Macdonald
Tel: (0131 6)51 5723
Email: juliette.macdonald@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Jane Thomson
Tel: (0131 6)51 5713
Email: jane.thomson@ed.ac.uk |
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© Copyright 2014 The University of Edinburgh - 12 January 2015 3:44 am
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