Entangled Knowledge

The intimate relationship between global European expansion since the early modern period and the concurrent beginnings of the scientific revolution has long been acknowledged. The contributions in this volume approach the entanglement of science and cultural encounters – many of them in colonial settings – from a variety of perspectives. Historical and historiographical survey essays sketch a transcultural history of knowledge and conduct a critical dialogue between the recent academic fields of Postcolonial Studies and Science & Empire Studies; a series of case studies explores the topos of Europe’s ‘great inventions’, the scientific exploitation of culturally unfamiliar people and objects, the representation of indigenous cultures in discourses of geographical exploration, as well as non-European scientific practices. ‘Entangled Knowledges’ also refers to the critical practices of scholarship: various essays investigate scholarship’s own failures in self-reflexivity, arising from an uncritical appropriation of cultural stereotypes and colonial myths, of which the discourse of Orientalism in historiography and residual racialist assumptions in modern genetics serve as examples. The volume thus contributes to the study of cultural and colonial relations as well as to the history of science and scholarship

Entangled Knowledge

The intimate relationship between global European expansion since the early modern period and the concurrent beginnings of the scientific revolution has long been acknowledged. The contributions in this volume approach the entanglement of science and cultural encounters – many of them in colonial settings – from a variety of perspectives. Historical and historiographical survey essays sketch a transcultural history of knowledge and conduct a critical dialogue between the recent academic fields of Postcolonial Studies and Science & Empire Studies; a series of case studies explores the topos of Europe’s ‘great inventions’, the scientific exploitation of culturally unfamiliar people and objects, the representation of indigenous cultures in discourses of geographical exploration, as well as non-European scientific practices. ‘Entangled Knowledges’ also refers to the critical practices of scholarship: various essays investigate scholarship’s own failures in self-reflexivity, arising from an uncritical appropriation of cultural stereotypes and colonial myths, of which the discourse of Orientalism in historiography and residual racialist assumptions in modern genetics serve as examples. The volume thus contributes to the study of cultural and colonial relations as well as to the history of science and scholarship

Interception: law, media, and techniques

In 2013, Edward Snowden provided journalists with copies of classified documents detailing the operations of the National Security Agency of the United States and its allies; in particular, the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters. Snowden explained that he hoped to set the conditions for a new technical literacy that would alter understandings of the relationship between digital communications and law. This thesis asks whether or not law is capable of repaying Snowden’s faith. To that end, it offers a media-theoretical genealogy of the interception of communication in the UK. Interception is presented as an effect of different sets of technical operations, mediated and processed by communication devices and networks. The thesis traces interception techniques: from their beginnings in the General Post Office; in their evolution through the operations of technical media; to their reappearance in the operations of digital media that constitute the internet. The authorisation of interception, meanwhile, has always depended upon legal techniques mediated by interception warrants. A genealogy of the interception warrant is presented through an archival study of the distinctly different practices of document production that manufactured and programmed warrants in different media epochs; from the medieval Chancery and paper bureaucracies of state institutions to the graphical user interface, which mediates between interception techniques and law today. Finally, the thesis addresses the function of legislation as it in turn addresses warrants and interception techniques. Law and legislation, it is argued, are incapable of constraining technical operations of interception because, like interception, law is already an effect of media-technical operations. The law operates not by controlling interception, but by processing it, assigning meaning to it, and protecting the secrecy of ongoing interception operations

An analysis of strategic management in the digital music industry in a Chinese context

There are elements of cultural innovation only partly articulated in managing the business of Digital Music within academic research in a Chinese context. This thesis research into one question, how far management and operational systems developed with a western background can be applied efficiently to the Chinese context within the field of the Digital Music Industry? The study adopted a chronological approach. It followed the development history of three timelines, the development of management theories and logic in China and the West, the development of global Digital Music, the development of China's Digital Music Industry, which including understanding a critical introduction to management in its historical and intellectual context which provided a useful expansion of the issues raised. This research analyses China's Digital Music Industry from the perspective of the insider, with a people-oriented research angle and a comprehensive methodology based on an interpretive approach combined with dialectical thinking. The research distinguishes China's Digital Music Industry from other mature Digital Music industries and highlights the contemporary challenges it presents in the current context. This thesis begins by building a theoretical framework of Western management and its development, contrasting this with a Chinese experience of theories and philosophy of management. It tested these theories by analysing the changes and growth of Digital Music management in China from the external environment perspective and a case study of QQ Music. The research compares the similarities and differences between China's Digital Music Industry and others which include definitions of Digital Music, historical developments, people's concept of consumption, attitude, and behavioural habits around Digital Music. It reviews the literature on management research to conceptualise Western theories combined with the case study of QQ music, to make explicit how they apply or do not apply in China, and to be more specific, within the Chinese Digital Music Industry. The research defines the mission and goal of Digital Music in a Chinese context. More importantly, based on the analysis to understand the Chinese Digital Music management logic, makes clear the unique attributes (service as the core competitiveness), the development pattern of China's Digital Music Industry (an online and offline interactive digital business ecosystem) and offers a way to extend existing theories (the collision of fan economy, experience economy and the Long Tail theory). The research has collected a lot of valuable first-hand data, including many hard-to-reach groups and includes non-public data from the company and local government. The study concludes that Western management theories are distinct from China's experience in the Digital Music Industry. This lies in, particularly, the core profit model and consumer habits of Digital Music in China and their difference to the West. Consumers have different perceptions of the value of music content and service. It is valuable to seek new insights into advanced business models and management theories which is set to enhance the study of China's Digital Music Industry and which may provide the practical assessment of good practice in a Chinese context to inform management practice from non-Western models

Knowing the fabric-weaving landscape : information literacy practice of the weavers from the Bonwire Kente Centre in Ghana

The socio-cultural perspective to information literacy has gained attention in Information Science, with numerous information literacy studies having been conducted in various workplace landscapes; however, not in the craft (artisanal) context. This study investigates the specific context in which Ghanaian Kente weavers (who produce a popular hand-woven fabric), are aided by information literacy practice in an informal workplace to become competent weavers. Social constructivism, as the research philosophy establishes the basis of this study. Information literacy practice and situated learning theory form the underpinning conceptual framework to explain the study. In line with the practice-based approach, this study employed ethnography as the research design. Data collection took place at the Bonwire Kente Weaving Centre, utilising participant observation and semi-structured interviews with weavers at various levels of competency. The study revealed that to successfully transition from a novice weaver to a master weaver, access to Kente information afforded by interaction and participation in the practices in the Kente-weaving landscape is essential, and includes knowledge on both on-the-loom and off-the-loom practices. The development of the expertise of Kente-weaving is enabled by the access to Kente information that constitutes the on-the-loom and off-the-loom information. The on-the-loom information includes information on stretching and tying-up, patterns setting, weaving, as well as the challenges of defects fixing. The off-the-loom information constitutes information on weft preparation, warp preparation, heddling and reeding, as well as knowledge regarding the history and traditions informing the weaving of Kente fabric. The study revealed that becoming information literate and competent in Kente weaving requires learning the correct way of using the specific tools needed in this specialised form of Kente weaving. The study also showed that the essence of becoming a competent weaver lay in understanding the role of the human senses; including sensory cues, in the process of Kente weaving. The study concluded that becoming information literate in the Kente-weaving landscape goes beyond the knowledge construction of the work of the mind of a weaver. It includes the means of accessing the Kente information through observation and participation in the off-the-loom and on-the-loom practices to develop the competence of the Kente-weaving landscape. Access to Kente information required to make a person competent weaver does not exist outside the social relations and the participation in the on-the-loom and off-the-loom practices of the Kente-weaving landscape. The study recommends that master weavers afford and create access to the lived actions of the on-the-loom and off-the-loom practices to the novice and junior weavers in the Kente-weaving landscape. Novice and junior weavers should focus on developing the know-how, know-that and know-why knowledge of the on-the-loom and off-the-loom practices, Kente fabrics and patterns. Furthermore, novice and junior weavers must train or develop their senses to an understanding of the cues of the Kente-weaving landscape. For the intended outcomes of the recommendations to be realised, the study proposes a framework for the information literacy practice of weavers.Information ScienceD. Inf

Virginia Commonwealth University Courses

Listing of courses for the 2015-2016 academic year