Everyday Impact: Cell Phones

What’s in our phones and why should we care? In this 2-week course we will investigate how our phones are made, where those raw materials come from, and who labors for them. We’ll study the impact that phone technologies, corporations, and tech culture have on our lives and the world we live in. 

In-depth course overview:

We will spend our time together turning our phones inside out and shining a light on the truth behind the technology. Students will engage in two days of interdisciplinary lessons about the geology, chemistry, and physics behind how our phones work, including a close up investigation of phone anatomy! After that initial inquiry, we will delve into the geopolitical implications of phone manufacturing, in particular the way the legacies of imperialism and settler colonialism continue through Big Tech’s exploitation of land and people. Our participatory action research project will start with analyzing images, artworks, and testimonies that communicate the inhumane labor conditions and environmental impact of mineral mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We will use the Question Formulation Technique and other inquiry-into-action learning structures to create our research questions and pathways. Finally we will determine how to take action and raise awareness about the everyday impact of cell phones. How can we reimagine a world where we sustain our interconnectedness and quench our thirst for knowledge beyond the little computer in our pockets? 

Learning Outcomes:

Students will be able to:

• Apply science and engineering knowledge and skills to the process of demystifying cell phone technology

• Ask critical questions that will guide dynamic, meaningful research 

• Design actions that emphasize the importance of both individual and collective efforts towards disinvestment from extractive technologies.