Admission requirements
BA Humanities
Description
What’s in a self? And if subjectivity is not singular but plural, what forces, powers, or technologies contribute to its formation and transformation? In order to address these and related questions, this course draws on three influential contemporary theorists well known for their genealogies of “power,” gender “trouble” and evaluations of good and bad “inclinations:” namely, the French historian and philosopher Michel Foucault (1926-1984), the philosopher and gender studies scholar Judith Butler (1956), and the Italian feminist philosopher and political theorist Adriana Cavarero (1947). We will focus on key concepts, perspectives, and methods developed by these authors –from genealogy to technologies of the self, gender imitation to giving an account of oneself, relating narratives to inclinations– by analyzing a selection of texts (book chapters, essays, interviews, courses), including Technologies of the Self (2001), Who is Afraid of Gender? (2024), and Inclinations (2016). The focus of the course lies on analyzing the theoretical texts themselves. We shall consider conceptual, argumentative, and stylistic structures in order to deepen our understanding of the mimetic powers at play in subject formation. In the process, students will develop academic skills such as analyzing key passages, researching genealogical connections between theories, presenting and writing papers based on a research question, and exploring specific debates in critical theory and cultural analysis.
Course objectives
At the completion of the course the student:
is familiar with the main concepts and theories developed by the critical theorists in question
understands different critical/theoretical methodologies mobilized by these thinkers (genealogy, queer theory, political theory);
can analyse complex theoretical texts focusing on key concepts for critical theory and social analysis such as power, performativity, and narrative
is able to give a clear oral presentation of a paper based on a research question
can use these critical-theoretical-analytical skills to write an independent research paper.
Timetable
The timetables are available through MyTimetable.
Mode of instruction
Seminar
Assessment method
Assessment
Preparing a weekly discussion question (pass/fail)
Three 1500-word papers (each 33,3%)
One oral Presentation (pass/fail)
Weighing
The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average. To pass the course, the weighted average of the partial grades must be 5.5 or higher.
Resit
In the case of a fail students are entitled to rewrite the paper(s).
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
To be announced
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Registration exchange
For the registration of exchange students contact Humanities International Office.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Arsenaal.
Remarks
Not applicable