The Empathy Diaries: A Memoir

How does Turkle weave personal anecdote with theory? What impact does this have?

How does Turkle’s education as a young girl—at school, at home, and at Hebrew school—prepare her for her academic career? How does her mother’s secrecy impact her research interests?

How do Turkle’s ideas about empathy and technology relate to the concept of dépaysement?

How does taking on the role of the distant observer impact Turkle’s understanding of human behavior, especially of those on the fringes of society?

Choose three “evocative objects” from the memoir and analyze their meanings. How do they relate to the book’s key themes?

How do Turkle’s experiences as Charlie’s daughter, Papert’s wife, and a female sociologist in the male-dominated science community at MIT shape her identity?

How do Turkle’s personal experiences of loss and mourning affect her views on the role of human empathy?

What is the impact of Victor Turner’s theory of “liminal” or transitional moments on Turkle’s view of people’s relationships with technology?