Topics in the History and Theory of the Media: The Diary: Writing the Self

What makes the diary such a popular form of self-expression? Are there collectively written diaries? Is the diary a media practice? What happens when diaries are "written" not only with text but also photographs, audio files and video? How can a standardized form foster intimate personal communication with one's own self? This seminar will explore the history and the varied practices of the diary, from famous historical examples such as Franz Kafka and Virginia Woolf to current vernacular digital formats of auto-fiction such as lifelogging, weblogs and Instagram.