"Writing work, technology, and pedagogy in the era of late capitalism"

Scott, Tony. (2006). “Writing work, technology, and pedagogy in the era of late capitalism.” Computers and Composition, 23(2), 228-243. 

Annotation by Erin Trauth

Scott examines how the technical writing course presents technologies and the terms of work in the context of the complex forces of the late-capitalist working world. He claims that, more than any other field, technical writing concerns itself with “integrating humanities education with occupational realities.” He states that this position is often problematic, as critical theories can directly subvert the tenants surrounding a pedagogy usually grounded in practice and skills.

After examining current bodies of scholarship which promote either a “capitalism hope” or a “wholesale adjustment” to the late-capitalist terms of work, Scott promotes a pedagogy which stimulates “ideologically diverse discussions in our curriculums that more critically examine the terms of work in late capitalism – from a civic and labor, rather than exclusively a managerial, perspective.” He asserts that this type of exploration will allows students to become informed and critical without particularly aligning themselves with any certain ideology.

In essence, Scott argues that “a pedagogy can be dedicated both to helping students get along in the world as they find and recognizing theoretical/analytical perspectives that critical of the terms of work and the broad, grim effects of late capitalism. Our pedagogies cannot abandon a commitment to civic/social responsibility, and they also need not rely on unrealistic images of, and false hopes about, the future organizational power of writers or the amenability of global capitalism to social responsible practices.”

Scott does acknowledge the difficulties of advocating such a pedagogy, but then offers some insight to how this type of curriculum might be established. This article is helpful in examining pedagogical stances and theories presented in the technical writing classroom. It also paints a picture of the current state of work in the technical writing field and serves to highlight the issues of capitalism within corporate structures for students and practitioners of technical writing.