The Payphone: Public Space, Nostalgia, & Obsolescence
The payphone, once a fixture of public life, now sits at the edge of cultural memory. This poster examined what might happen if a fully functioning payphone were reintroduced into a contemporary public space and how people might reinterpret, repurpose, or ignore a once-essential communication technology.
Presented at the 2025 SPARK! (Showcase of Projects, Art, Research, and Knowledge) Graduate Poster Exhibition, this project was developed by Jillina Harken, an M.A. student in Emerging Media at Rutgers University–Camden. Drawing on media archaeology and medium design, the work explored how obsolete technologies continue to shape public space, cultural memory, and digital behavior. The abstract appears below.
Abstract: Ringing Out of Time: The Payphone as a Cultural Artefact in Modern Spaces
This research explores the payphone as a cultural artefact and its potential role in shaping public engagement with obsolete technology. While once a critical part of global telecommunications infrastructure, the payphone has all but disappeared, replaced by mobile communication. This study investigates the implications of reintroducing a fully functioning payphone into a modern public space, examining how individuals might interact with, reinterpret, and repurpose defunct technology in a digital age.
Using media archaeology (Fickers and van den Over) and medium design (Easterling) as guiding frameworks, this project theorizes that such an installation would not only spark curiosity but also reveal deeper insights into the societal impact of technological obsolescence. A hypothetical payphone installation at Rutgers University–Camden’s campus quad serves as a conceptual model for exploring questions of nostalgia, infrastructure awareness, and shifts in communication behavior.
Through behavioral mapping, speculative ethnography, and participant interviews, this research considers the ways people might engage with a forgotten technology. Would they attempt to use the phone? Would it serve as a social hub or a relic to be ignored? How does its presence alter perceptions of the surrounding environment? By looking back at the rise and fall of the payphone, this project invites critical reflection on the rapid cycles of technological advancement and the forgotten infrastructures that shaped our modern world.
This study offers insight into the cultural memory of communication technologies, the experimental learning of obsolete tools, and the shifting dynamics of public space in an era of digital ubiquity.
Graduate Poster Exhibition at SPARK!
The Graduate Poster Exhibition celebrates the research and creative work of the graduate community, showcasing everything from prose and code to original research and artistic expression. As part of SPARK! (Showcase of Projects, Art, Research, and Knowledge), a reimagining of Research Week, the exhibition highlights the depth, range, and impact of graduate scholarship and invites the campus community to engage with ideas taking shape across disciplines.
Master the Tools of Tomorrow in Emerging Media
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, proficiency in emerging media is essential. Rutgers University–Camden offers two innovative graduate programs—the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) in Emerging Media/Digital Studies—designed to equip students with practical skills in digital media production, fluency across multiple software platforms, and a deep understanding of the cultural impact of digital media. Through a transdisciplinary approach, the curriculum encompasses digital storytelling, interaction design, and ethical considerations, preparing graduates to lead and innovate in the dynamic fields of media and communication.
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