History of the Book
Overview
Subject area
HIST
Catalog Number
722
Course Title
History of the Book
Department(s)
Description
New technologies have introduced unprecedented possibilities for distributing and sharing information, which bypass physical media such as books and newspapers. These innovations appear revolutionary but, as this course will show, the book itself is an object that has undergone radical transformations over time. This class will introduce students to the history of the book as a material object by investigating the ways in which form and technology influence the production, control, and distribution of knowledge. After an exploration of the changing formats of books over the centuries, we will focus on the early modern transition from manuscript to print, the emergence of the author figure, the relationship between books and readers, the book trade, and ways in which knowledge was stored and organized in the past. We will conclude with a reflection on the future of the physical book and of libraries.
Typically Offered
Fall, Spring
Academic Career
Graduate
Liberal Arts
Yes
Credits
Minimum Units
3
Maximum Units
3
Academic Progress Units
3
Repeat For Credit
No
Components
Name
Lecture
Hours
3