Prospectus

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The Vertigo of Lists in Medieval and Early Modern Culture

Course
2010-2011

Admission requirements

Students must have read Umberto Eco, The Vertigo of Lists (2009; alternative title: The Infinity of Lists) before the first class starts.

Description

This interdisciplinary reserach seminar takes as its starting point Umberto Eco’s latest book, The Vertigo of Lists (2009; alternative title: The Infinity of Lists). We will look at the various forms and functions of lists in the visual arts and literary culture of the medieval and early modern period: as forms of enumeration, description, index, catalogue and encyclopedia, or as (descriptions and depictions of) existing or imaginary libraries, Kunst- & Wunderkammern, and other collections.
We will discuss issues such as place and function of a list in its immediate context; the intended purpose of lists and listmaking; rhetorical aspects and the order and placement of lists. Much attention will be drawn to the ekphrastic tradition since Homer, the literary works of Rabelais and his contemporaries, paintings by Jeroen Bosch and the Brueghel-family, as well as early modern (fictional) auction catalogues.

Course objectives

  • Students will gain insight in the meaning and function of lists and list making in early modern culture, especially in the visual arts and literature.

  • Students will have to partake in interdisciplinary research and research methods

  • Students will gain experience in presenting their own research methods and results in a group by means of a presentation (20 mins)

  • Students will learn to engage and take part in scholarly debates and discussions

Timetable

See for schedules of courses and exams on timetable

Mode of instruction

Seminar

Assessment method

  • presentation (25%);

  • research paper (75%)

Blackboard

Blackboard will be used to distribute research materials and research papers.

Reading list

Umberto Eco, The Vertigo of Lists (2009; alternative title: The Infinity of Lists).

Registration

Students have to apply for this course with the registration system of the university uSis. General information about registration with uSis you can find here in Dutch and in English

Exchange and Study Abroad students, please see the Study in Leiden website for information on how to apply.

Contact information

Please contact the instructor Prof dr P.J. Smith

Remarks

For more information consult the website from the Institute for Cultural Disciplines