Throughout their careers, students in Computer Science will have the opportunity to affect society through the technologies that they create. Yet technology is not created in a vacuum, but rather is a product of the ingrained assumptions of its creators, and the societies that structure these assumptions. When working with the tools of Computer Science, students will face traces of the field’s racist, sexist, homophobic, and imperialist legacy, and will have to decide how to work with or challenge these parts of the field.

This course prepares students to work for justice and equity in technology and society by facilitating conversations about the sometimes-oppressive history and impact of Computer Science, and uplifting voices that have historically been marginalized within the field. By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze and discuss technology within its broader context, and be able to use the tools of Computer Science to subvert the unjust structures the field has inherited.

All majors going into Junior Seminar will need the concepts in this class to effectively design and contextualize their projects.