Why "Framework"?

I was vacillating between Dr. Duffy’s (arranging specific modules for orienting frameworks) and Dr. Todd’s (organizing modules under given frameworks) approaches. A 15-week schedule already seems too jammed for such a broad term as “digital intimacies,” and taking much space to introduce the frameworks may become unproductive, or worse, unconvincing in itself. It was during this contemplating process that I recognized that my goal was more to join the conversation than to provide a “comprehensive” review.

The resulting framing choices could be highly debatable, as they do not come from any pre-established reviews I know of. Rather, they stem from my inductive reading of the 10-year trajectory of “Digital Intimacies” symposiums and a selective sampling of journal articles (Inspirations and references for syllabus building). In terms of both scholarly and pedagogical developments, I found this exercise to be fruitful as it motivated me to always view research from distinct areas in a broader and connecting context, relating it to the digital and intimate.

Every module in this section combines abstract "conceptual" pieces with works that function as "applications" within this framework and serve as valuable starting points for a particular field. By using this selection criteria, I aim to map a constellation of scholarship that could enhance our comprehension of "digital intimacies."

In hindsight, this approach could potentially lead to a lack of dialogue between the readings within the same module, as I may have occasionally sacrificed contexts in favor of perspectives. The students may also be confused due to the nonlinear arrangement of materials, as they will find inconsistent links between works from the “Orienting Frameworks” section and the “Key Topics” in terms of fields. However, I hope this section will also assist students in framing their undergraduate teaching examples for the final assignment.

The undergraduate version, when available, employs alternative names, with a less prominent emphasis on the "orienting frameworks" approach. Instead, the presentation of these modules will focus on key topics.