Course Guidelines & Assessments
Title: Experimental Ethnography – Mining Coal, Coltan & Data
Course: Soz Teil II, KuWaMI Teil II 080213-SS-2025
Tutor: Reinhilde Sotiria König
This seminar challenges students to think critically and creatively about the intersection of technology, environment, and social in-justice in our contemporary moment of supposed green transition.
A. Course Structure
Duration: 5 sessions total (Blokseminar). Because of the short duration of the seminar presence is mandatory.
1. Kick-off: June 21, 2025, at the Mining Museum, Bochum 12:00 in front of the museum - tickets are paid for by the RUB; lunch 2 am / pick-nick or café around the corner.
Subsequent sessions: 4 Blokseminare at Ruhr University Bochum (RUB)
2. 28-06-2025 GABF 04/714
3. 05-06-2025 GABF 05/703
4. 12-07-2025 GABF 05/703 ONLINE
5. 19-07-2025 SHOWROOM GABF 05/703
Important
Shortly after — or even during — the museum visit, each student (Leistungsschein) chooses a field (geographic or territorial), a topic (such as datamining, deep sea mining, working conditions, gender roles, environmental issues, etc.), and a mineral or rare earth element (e.g., cobalt, coal, coltan, lithium, gold, oil, etc.).
B. Assessment Options I & II
Option I: Anwesenheitsschein (Attendance Certificate) - Complete all four assignments below
Assignment 1: Mining Museum Bochum Visit (reflection, entering the field of anthropology of mining)
a. Take three photographs or/and record soundbites during your museum visit
b. Select one specific artifact and analyze it using thick description methodology (see instructions below)
Submission: Before relevant seminar session (28-06-2025)
Assignment 2: Documentary/movie/film/cartoon analysis (gathering information)
a. Watch one or more documentaries, movies, films, conferences or exhibitions about mining
b. Write a short summary analyzing key themes and connections to course material
Submission: Before relevant seminar session (05-07-2025)
Assignment 3: Literature Presentation (academic skill research)
a. Choose one article from the Moodle course materials or another article in consultation with the teacher
b. Present briefly in class (5 min.) OR submit a written summary if you prefer not to present
Focus & academic craftmanship: look for arguments and relevance = what triggered you, what’s interesting for our seminar, what kind of questions do you have? > work with CAQ = core, arguments, questions
Submission: Before relevant seminar session (12-07-2025)
Assignment 4: Critical Analysis - Technology & Environment (opinion)
a. Develop a reasoned opinion on the ecological footprint and societal impact of machine learning, big tech, big data, and AI
b. Write a short statement (500-750 words)
c. Research requirement: Include literature sources, interviews, or other evidence to support your arguments
Submission: Final seminar session (or t.b.a.)
Option II: Leistungsschein (Graded Credit)
Complete all Anwesenheitsschein assignments PLUS Additional Assignment / Presentation with a personal take on a problem or phenomenon regarding mining.
Presentations 19-07-2025 showroom for those students in need of a Leistungsschein.
Students present: ‘Tell us something about…’, focusing on a topic such as deep-sea mining, fracking, coal mining, data mining, a specific mineral (e.g., coal, coltan, cobalt), or a geographical location (e.g., Germany, Chile, the Democratic Republic of Congo, a specific mine or data center). Students choose to convey their story in a creative format (e.g., poster, poetry, comic strip, drawing) or in a traditional format (e.g., research paper).
Submission: Before relevant seminar session (19-07-2025)
C. Course Policies
AI Usage Policy: Do not use AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini etc.) for any assignments, if you do, use the guidelines RUB for AI. This policy reflects our seminar's core theme: while AI promises solutions to climate challenges, it simultaneously demands enormous energy consumption and mineral extraction. Consider these critical questions: Is AI part of the climate solution or part of the problem? What are the hidden costs of the "AI revolution" in terms of resource extraction? How do working conditions in the Global South (including content moderation) connect to our digital consumption? We will discuss in small groups during class.
D. Readings see moodle course > and tailored towards the interest of the student.
Submissions, questions or suggestions: Before relevant seminar session. Email to r.konig@hva.nl or Reinhilde.Koenig@ruhr-uni-Bochum.de
Signal: (0)31-62837466
- Kursleiter/in: Reinhilde König