Keyword Cultures

Catalog description

The oldest definition of keyword defines it as a key to a cipher or code. Today, keywords are encoded into our digital lives, most prominently in tools like Google. In this course, we explore the persistent cultural importance of keywords: first, in traditional literary or rhetorical analysis; second, in digital humanities methods; and finally, as a cultural unit that shapes our social and political landscape, on- and offline. Through our work together, we respond creatively, theoretically, and practically to questions such as:How do search engines understand human language using keywords?What do our search queries reveal about us?What can we learn about literature and culture through textual analysis?