This lecture will explore the digital phenomenon of El Paquete Semanal, or "the Weekly Package," a nationwide distribution network through which a Terabyte of films, music, apps, and more besides is moved across the island of Cuba on a weekly basis. It will contextualize this network within Cuba's unique historical and political trajectory and propose a framework for understanding how El Paquete fits into a global chain of material and digital consumerism. Finally, it will examine the way value is created in this network in the light of widespread suggestions that El Paquete signals a move closer towards capitalism in Cuba.
