Reifying Digital Histories

Author

Ed Ryan, Western Michigan UniversityFollow

Date of Defense

4-20-2017

Date of Graduation

4-2017

Department

Art

First Advisor

Ryan Lewis

Second Advisor

Nicholas Kuder

Third Advisor

Harold Glasser

Abstract

The use of sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat is rooted in nowness. Most users rarely think about the long-term aspects of their relationship with the networks to which they belong, instead focusing on an ever-refreshing interface filled with fresh content. But what happens to this content when it is removed from its familiar digital context? Do the archived interactions, updates, tweets, and other pieces of our digital histories take on new meaning when placed onto a physical substrate? Using the form of the book and my personal Twitter archive, I have addressed my own digital history, looking specifically at the value, volume, and narrative capabilities of the things we do and say on the internet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtaEWT5u1KU

Recommended Citation

Ryan, Ed, "Reifying Digital Histories" (2017). Honors Theses. 2896.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/honors_theses/2896

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access