MUO-E8023 - Values in Design Futures, 18.04.2019-23.05.2019
This course space end date is set to 23.05.2019 Search Courses: MUO-E8023
Assignment 2: Twelve Monkeys and values in designed futures
Summary
This is an
individual, summative assignment in which you are asked to synthesise what you
have learned on the course. Reflect on changes in the collective imagination as
they are expressed in the science-fiction movie, Twelve Monkeys. You are free to select aspects of the film to focus on, but as a whole, your essay should analyse and comment on the film from
a “values in design futures” perspective. It should refer to course materials.
Aims
● To reflect in a coherent, informed and critical way on values and futures as they appear in the designed environments of a feature film;
● With reference to societal context, to analyse how futures can be imagined, used and promoted.
Deliverables
● An essay of no more than 2000 words including references, in pdf format.
Assessment
Weighting: Assignment 2 = 50% of total course grade
Due Date: May 31 17:00, to be uploaded on MyCourses
Assignments submitted after the due date/time without an approved extension or application for special consideration will not be marked.
The Brief:
Watch Twelve Monkeys (directed by Terry Gilliam, 1999) paying particular
attention to how the future is imagined to be. Note both “material”
qualities such as objects, clothes, places, climate, etc. and “immaterial”
qualities such as relationships between individuals, power structures,
political-economic system etc. Note implicit understandings of time and futurity.
Write an essay that identifies and analyses aspects of the designed future depicted in the movie. Do not summarise the plot, rather, describe the qualities of the imagined future with references to the significant qualities and relevant insights you identified. You are free to select themes and aspects of Twelve Monkeys to concentrate on, as long as you discuss the movie from a “values in design futures” perspective.
If you wish, you can use the following questions to guide your thinking: What designed features in the movie give clues about the values prevalent in the time period being represented? What kinds of conceptions of the future or of change are represented through the film? How does the film play around with notions of time? What kinds of questions about value and value change – or anything else – does this raise?
Key Requirements
The essay should:
● Be approximately 2000 words (References not included);
● Have a cover page with assignment title, title of your essay, date and your name;
● Use a
language appropriate for scholarly work, refer to course contents and draw on other resources as appropriate, and give full references;
● Use figures, images and illustrations as needed to support the ideas and arguments presented;
● Be grammar/spell-checked, proofread, and, formatted and referenced in line with APA convention (please do a search on how to write reports and how to reference materials in APA convention).