Admission requirements
Admission to this course is restricted to first-year BA students in Philosophy enrolled in the BA Plus-traject.
Description
The course proposes an overview of the main theories of culture. It begins by addressing the question “what is culture” by paying particular attention to the views of culture as Society (Rousseau, Locke), as Bildung and cultivation (Kant, Herder, Humboldt, Nietzsche) as habitus (Mauss, Bourdieu) and as Episteme (Foucault). It then moves to a discussion of the anatomy of culture: how are cultures established (Rousseau, Nietzsche, Freud)? How do they transform themselves? How do they transform themselves (Weber)?
Course objectives
The course aims to acquaint the students with the key theories, problems and arguments of the philosophy of culture. It presents a critical overview of the canonical answers to the questions “What is a culture?” and “How a culture constitutes itself”?
Students who successfully complete the course will have a good understanding of:
the main definitions of cultures (including culture as cultivation, episteme, worldview and history);
the main arguments aout the constitution of cultures;
the conceptual constraints to the projects of inter/multiculturalism.
Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
critically understand, comment and interconnect the major texts and theories relative to culture;
present a consistent view of the basic points of disagreements about culture and its constitution;
propose and defend both in writing and orally, basic arguments pertaining to any section of the course.
Timetable
The timetable is available on the BA Wijsbegeerte website
BA Wijsbegeerte 2016-2017 (BA Plus-traject), eerste jaar.
Mode of instruction
Lectures (2 hours)
Tutorials (2 hours)
Course Load
Total course load: 5 EC x 28 hrs = 140 hours
Attending lectures: (13 weeks x 2 hrs): 26 hours
Attending tutorials: (13 weeks x 2 hrs): 26 hours
Preparation of classes: 18 hours
Study of compulsory literature: 34 hours
Preparation assignments: 30 hours
Time for completing the take home exams: 6 hours
Assessment method
Mid-term take-home exam, made of a series of short questions (30%)
Final take-home essay, dealing with the entirety of the course (one question taken from a list of three) (50%)
Presentation: 15-minute presentation about one additional text during the tutorial section (20%)
Weighing
The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average of the three subtests.
Resit
The resit consists of one examination, covering the entirety of the course material, consisting of a take-home essay on one imposed question taken from any section of the course. No separate resits will be offered for mid-term tests. The mark for the resit will replace all previously earned marks for subtests.
Satisfactory completion of practical assignments (participation, presentation, weekly assignments) is a prerequisite for taking the resit.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used for
posting texts
posting general information documents (syllabus etc.)
posting assignments and updates
Reading list
All texts will be made available on Blackboard at the beginning of the semester, alongside the reading schedule.
Registration
Enrolment for courses and exams through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available in English and Dutch
Students are strongly advised to register in uSis through the activity number which can be found in the timetables for and exams in the column under the heading “uSis-Actnbr”.
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Not applicable.
Contact
Remarks
Not applicable.