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Correspondence, Meeting Minutes, and Access Apps. Contemporary History of Knowledge and Media
Korrespondenzen, Protokolle und Access Apps. Zugänge zur Geschichte von Wissen und Medien
Last Updated: 2026-06-03 00:07:47
Abstract
What distinguishes letters from emails? How did information become an object that defines an era? Since when has data existed? Can historical software be stored? Can machines read?
Objective
The course deals with the historical transformation of communication and the challenges of long-term data archiving. Special emphasis is placed on concepts such as publicity, valorization, and accessibility. The course offers a problem-oriented insight into socio-material translation processes.
Content
In the 20th and 21st centuries, the physical nature of communication and information has changed, and at the same time, new technologies for accessing knowledge have emerged. This applies equally to personal relationships and individualized media as well as to processes of collective negotiation in private and professional settings. The course examines the use of media (e.g., paper, microfilm, and slide projectors), historical processes of digitization, and the early adoption of tools now widely used today (such as OCR, CAD, email, and apps). It examines socio-material change across various sectors of society, ranging from administration to banking, the telecommunications industry, medicine, and architecture, as well as professional associations and civil society organizations. The central question is how communication and correspondence have evolved, and how, in particular, accessibility as a concept has been shaped through the interaction between the materiality of information, media technology, and society. Students discuss literature in history and media studies, analyze original sources from various decades, and address the issue of preserving historical technical objects. They contextualize and situate historical examples within long-term perspectives and research questions.
General Information
- Language
- German
- Levels
- DS , MSC
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| seminar | Korrespondenzen, Protokolle und Access Apps. Zugänge zur Geschichte von Wissen und Medien | No time listed | 2 h weekly |
Offered In
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Science in Perspective (In “Science in Perspective”-courses students learn to reflect on ETH’s STEM subjects from the perspective of humanities, political and social sciences. Only the courses listed below will be recognized as "Science in Perspective" courses.)
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Type A: Enhancement of Reflection Competence (SiP courses are recommended for bachelor students after their first-year examination and for all master- or doctoral students. All SiP courses are listed in Type A. Courses listed under Type B are only recommendations for enrollment for specific departments.)
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Type B: Reflection About Subject-Specific Methods and Contents (Subject-specific courses. Particularly relevant for students interested in those subjects. All these courses are also listed under the category “Typ A”, and every student can enroll in these courses.)
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