Course Code: SOCI 8999
Academic Year: 2024-2025
Why was writing crucial to the creation of civilizations? What impact did the printing press have on the spread of knowledge? In what ways was the railroad implicated in nation building? What role did the birth control pill play in the sexual revolution? In this course, we examine the most significant technological inventions in the history of the world, such as the engine, electricity, the internet and the act of writing itself. This course traces the history of technological revolution beginning with the dawn of civilization through to the internet age. It explores the social impact of ten technologies on the history of the world, technologies that have shaped the way we communicate, travel and war with one another; control our bodies; and live our daily lives.This course situates each invention historically, socially and geographically. It explores the relationship of these technologies to various forms of social change, such as the development of civilization, the growth of empires, family life, consumerism, globalization, sexual revolution, population growth, the gendered division of labour, the spread of knowledge and power and the development of social media.