CLS3880

Modern and postmodern subjects

Kevin Hart

12 points
* 2 hours per week
* Second semester
* Clayton and Internet

Objectives Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to: (a) understand the rise and development of the modern subject; (b) demonstrate an ability to work with a range of different genres (cultural criticism, literature, philosophy) and media (cyberspace, film print); (c) show an ability to research weekly topics not only in libraries but also on the internet; (d) understand how the theory of the subject is extended and reset by electronic technological practice; and (e) demonstrate an ability to write two clear, cogent and scholarly essays on topics supplied by the seminar leader.

Synopsis This seminar will examine the notion of the modern subject and investigate the ways in which contemporary social and technological developments are transforming subjectivity. The course will be divided into two parts. First, the development of the modern notion of subjectivity from Descartes to Blanchot will be considered. Second, literary, philosophical and cultural criticisms of the modern subject will be examained. In addition to philosophical works by Blanchot and Nancy, the impact of electronic and telematic technologies will be studied. Students will be required to view videos and to research web sites as well as online discussion groups. In an effort to bring together theory and practice, the seminar will be taught at Monash University and Williams College, and a third of the meetings will be jointly conducted via teleconferencing. The question guiding the investigation will be: what is the fate of the modern subject in cyberspace?

Assessment One essay (4500 words) focussing on problems relating to set texts: 50%
* One essay (4500 words) focusing on problems relating to cyberspace: 50%

Prescribed texts

Blanchot M Thomas the Obscure Station Hill P
Hill C `Incidence of Catastrophe' (video)
Turkle S Life on the screen (specific chapters) Simon and Schuster
Haraway D Simians. Cyborgs and women Routledge
Various web sites
Students will also be asked to buy a reader containing extracts from some of the key texts on the subject by Descartes, Kant, Fichte, Hegel and Freud.

Recommended texts

Cadava E and others (eds) Who comes after the subject? Routledge
Druckrey T (ed.) Electronic culture Aperture
Hart K Losing the power to say `I' Art School P
Landow G P Hypertext Routledge
Levinas E Outside the subject Stanford U P
Nancy J-L The inoperable community U Minnesota P
Ricoeur P Oneself as another U Chicago P
Taylor M C Imagologies Routledge
Taylor M C Hiding CD-ROM U Chicago P
Individual issues of Wired
Various web sites