This fall, the School of Integrative Studies welcomes Lindsey Macdonald as a term instructor. As a cultural studies doctoral candidate at George Mason University, Macdonald has assumed a teaching role that aligns well with her own area of research and encourages students to assess how they consume and use mass media and technology.
This semester, Macdonald is teaching three SIS classes: Mass Media and Social Change, Digital Futures, and Digital Literacy. In all three classes, Macdonald challenges her students to approach the subject matter, both mass media and technology, with a critical eye toward the political, economic and cultural contexts in which it is framed.
Macdonald cited several popular concepts commonly viewed as positive developments in today’s society: Uber, Airbnb and the increased trend toward telecommuting. Macdonald said, “many Uber users appreciate its convenience, but what about drivers who take on many of the costs traditionally assumed by employers? What happens to cab drivers, who now face intense competition from drivers who have not undergone the same licensing procedures?”
Similarly, Macdonald asks her students to consider the Airbnb model, by which members offer vacation rentals for visitors to a city, but some spots are in rent-controlled apartment buildings, and members are using affordable housing provisions to their financial benefit. In certain instances, Macdonald says, “the presence of Airbnb can exacerbate the problem of a lack of affordable housing, which has, historically, been an intense site of social struggle. Intentionally or not, tech companies like Airbnb are now part of this complex set of relations.”
In another example, Macdonald discussed telework. For many, the option to telework seems appealing, as it reduces commute time and allows people to work from home or work at times outside the traditional 9:00 to 5:00 schedule. While this may, indeed, be convenient, some employees find that with the extra freedom, they are pressured to be “available” at any time of day or night, or experience a blurring of the boundary between work and leisure.
Macdonald asks her students to consider all sides of an issue, and question the utility of technology or mass media, assessing the impact it has on its users. Macdonald requires students to read and write extensively, but also inject assignments with their own creative approaches and insights.
Macdonald said, “I love teaching. My students always surprise me. I spend so much time reading and writing for my own research, then they surprise me with a different perspective or angle. They make me a better thinker.”
Macdonald came to Mason after earning a bachelor's degree in English language and literature from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a master's degree in English literature from Eastern Michigan University. Macdonald’s own research interests include political economy, critical media studies, and critical theory. The tentative title of her upcoming dissertation is “Reconsidering Interactive Culture: Post-Crisis Utopias, Virtual Pauperism, and the Specter of Unemployment.”
September 30, 2016
