The Modern Critical Theory Lecture Series - Fall 2005
Once again the Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory will be offering semi-formal public lectures for graduate students on the history of critical theory. These lectures, each of which will be followed by open discussion, will take place from 7:30-9:00 pm in Gregory Hall during the first eleven Tuesdays of the fall semester. The first lecture will take place on August 30 in Gregory 100; all future lectures will take place in Gregory 223. The lectures are open to all interested graduate students.
August 30: Kant: Jennifer K. Uleman (Philosophy, SUNY Purchase)
Immanuel Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, trans. and ed. Paul Guyer and Allen Wood, "'B' Preface," (pp. 106-124 [esp. 106-113])
Kant, Critique of Practical Reason, trans. and ed. Mary Gregor, "Preface" and "Introduction," (pp. 3-13)
Kant, Critique of Judgment (selections in Norton)
Fredrick Beiser, “The Enlightenment and Idealism,” from Cambridge Companion to German Idealism
Secondary:
Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, "On the Clue to the Discovery of all Pure Concepts of the Understanding" (pp. 201-217)
Kant, Critique of Practical Reason, "On the Principles of Pure Practical Reason," (pp. 17-37)
September 6: Hegel: William Schroeder (Philosophy)
G.W.F. Hegel, Phenomenology of Spirit, trans. A.V. Miller (Introduction, “Sense-Certainty,” and “Self-Consciousness” [through “lordship and bondage”], pp. 46-66 & 104-119)
Hegel, Lectures on Fine Art (selections in Norton)
September 13: Marx and Marxism: Jim Hansen (English)
Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, selections from Norton
Georg Lukacs, History and Class Consciousness (selections)
Theodor W. Adorno, “On the Fetish Character in Music and the Regression of Listening”
September 20: Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals: Melissa Orlie (Political Science)
Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals. Selections: Preface, Essay I: sections 1-2, 6-7, 10-13; Essay II: sections 1-12, 16-18, 21-24; Essay III: sections 1-2, 7-21, 23-28 (pp. 15-23, 24-26, 31-34, 36-46, 57-63,57-79, 84-88, 91-96, 97-99, 106-43,145-63)
September 27: Structuralism: Andrea Goulet (French)
Readings by F. Saussure, R. Barthes (from Mythologies), and R. Jakobson from Norton
Roland Barthes, “The Structuralist Activity”
Claude Levi-Strauss, “The Structural Study of Myth,” from Structural Anthropology & "A Native Community and its Life-Style," from Tristes Tropiques
October 4: Freud: Lilya Kaganovsky (Slavic/Comp Lit)
Sigmund Freud, “Fetishism” and selections from The Interpretation of Dreams (Norton)
S. Freud and J. Breuer, Studies in Hysteria (introduction and Anna O. case study)
Recommended Reading:
Hunter, Dianne -- "Ch. 4: Hysteria, psychoanalysis, and feminism: The case of Anna O.Garner." in Shirley Nelson , Claire Kahane and Madelon Sprengnether, ed. The (M)other tongue : essays in feminist psychoanalytic interpretation.
October 11: Lacan and Kristeva: Nancy Blake (Comp Lit)
Jacques Lacan, “The Mirror Stage,” “The Agency of the Letter in the Unconscious,” & “The Signification of the Phallus” in Norton
Julia Kristeva, “Approaching Abjection,” from Powers of Horror
October 18: Foucault: Matti Bunzl (Anthropology)
Michel Foucault, The History of Sexuality: An Introduction
October 25: Derrida: Jane Gallop (English, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)
Jacques Derrida, “Signature Event Context”
November 1: Cultural Studies: Williams, Hall, etc.: Cary Nelson (English)
November 8: Queer Theory: Stephanie Foote (English)
Judith Butler, “Imitation and Gender Insubordination” and “Critically Queer”
Eve K. Sedgwick, “Introduction: Axiomatic,” from Epistemology of the Closet
November 15: Postcolonial Theory: Jed Esty (English)
Frantz Fanon, "The Negro and Recognition," from Black Skin, White Masks (pp 210-222;)
Edward Said, “Introduction,” from Orientalism (Norton)
Homi Bhabha, “The Commitment to Theory” (Norton)
Gayatri Spivak, from Critique of Postcolonial Reason (pp. 112-140)