Professor Marijeta Bozovic
Professor Marijeta Bozovic, an Assistant Professor in Slavic Languages and Literatures, discusses her summer course, “Introduction to Internet Studies”
Q. How would you describe internet studies to someone new to the field?
Internet cultures have transformed our world over just a few decades, as human beings seemingly overnight learned to depend on computer networks for work, war, education, religion, politics, searches for love and community, crime, and all kinds of play. The very size of this “cultural production” defies understanding and seems to defy study. And yet—study and make sense of it we must!
Q. What would you describe the role of the internet in creating and disseminating cultural content in today’s world, and how can this be studied academically?
We will highlight the possibilities and limitations of digital tools and encourage critical thinking about the networks that surround us and mediate our cultural experiences—and which most of us use with little understanding of how search tools, categorization systems, generative AI, and more shape and limit our knowledge.
Q. How do you think the internet will change with the increased proliferation of artificially generated content?
Great question. The internet will likely become saturated with AI-generated content, making it harder to distinguish content from noise. Our search and verification tools will evolve to prioritize curated sources over raw volume. In short, our focus will shift from generating content to filtering, interpreting, and authenticating.
Q. What aspects of teaching this summer are you most excited about?
I am thrilled to meet and work with new students, and to use many events in New Haven over the summer to fill in course content with library and gallery visits, screenings and more.
Q. What advice would you give students to succeed in a summer course?
Come curious and open-minded, ready to bring what you already know to the classroom but also ready to re-examine the familiar with entirely new eyes. In humanities seminars, we are here to sharpen the way we write and think, and to deepen our understanding of our own historical moment, its contexts, and contingencies.