[SIGCIS-Members] Is Unix racist?

[M. Hicks]

Hi Janet, and all:

I find it an interesting think piece. Though it has problems, elisions and logical/historical issues, the task it is taking on, trying to think non-linearly to come up with new ways to conceptualize the relationship between race and (seemingly all-white forms of) certain technologies is an important an worthy one.

In spite of, or perhaps because of that, I definitely felt disappointed by where it went (or didn't). But, I also think it's really good when humanists can put these sorts of "beta" products out there and do some experimenting. Too often that is a privilege reserved for the "sciences"-- broadly construed.

MH
______________________
Marie Hicks, Ph.D.
Asst. Professor, History of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, IL USA
mariehicks.net | mhicks1 at iit.edu | @histoftech

On Aug 17, 2015, at 4:57 PM, Janet Abbate <abbate at vt.edu> wrote:

Anyone seen this piece by Tara Mcpherson? It starts with some interesting questions, but I found the follow-through to be disappointingly ahistorical. Again and again she argues that there must be a connection between the modularity of Unix and the compartmentalization of race within American culture, but then immediately admits that she has no evidence for any direct connection. As far as I can tell, the only reason she singles out Unix is because it coincides conveniently with the US Civil Rights era. I'm curious to know what others think. 

"Why Are the Digital Humanities So White? or Thinking the Histories of Race and Computation." 
http://dhdebates.gc.cuny.edu/debates/text/29

Janet


Dr. Janet Abbate
Associate Professor, Science & Technology in Society
Co-director, National Capital Region STS program
Virginia Tech
www.sts.vt.edu/ncr
www.linkedin.com/groups/STS-Virginia-Tech-4565055
www.facebook.com/VirginiaTechSTS



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