Tendencies and methods in contemporary cultural studies

obligatory courses

Aim of the course is to present to participants general overview of cultural studies as academic discipline based on the methods developed by cultural anthropology, history, psychology and other disciplines.

Classroom

Each class is based on particular topic and selected assigned reading is the starting point for the introduction and discussion. During the course students are familiarized with the research context and theses of the reading as well as the particular research perspective. Students are focused on the reading and in the process are familiarized with the modes of analyses and interpretation based on the research tendencies.

Student develops his research abilities and learn how to gain knowledge under the supervision of the tutor.

The course is divided into two main sections:

I. Completion, continuity and new research areas

1. Poststructuralism

2. Postcolonialism in the context of Central and Eastern Europe

3. Postmodernism

4. Ideology and critique of ideology

5. Feminism

6. Historicism

7. Interpretive research

8. Popular culture studies

9. Body culture studies (body and culture)

II. Around the cultural turns

10. Memory studies (1)

11. Memory studies (2)

12. Visual turn (1)

13. Visual turn (2)

14. Topographical turn (Urban studies)

15. Discussion and small-groups discussion, etc.

Students’ activity:

Participation in classes 30 hours (1 ECTS)

Preparing of the presentation (based on lectures) - 30 hours (1 ECTS)

Students are expected to come to class having completed the assigned readings.

Literature (in Polish only):

Ewa Thompson, „Trubadurzy imperium. Literatura rosyjska i kolonializm”, Universitas, Kraków 2000 (wybrane fragmenty udostępnione studentom)

Arkadiusz Lewicki, „Sztuczne światy. Postmodernizm w filmie fabularnym”, Wydawnictwo UWr, Wrocław 2007 (fragment)

Film pt. „Perwersyjny przewodnik po ideologiach” reż. Sophie Fiennes (2013), scen. Slavoj Žižek (fragmenty)

„Fortepian”, reż. Jane Campion (1993), Elżbieta Ostrowska, “Fortepian” Jane Campion. Próba interpretacji feministycznej (Edukacja filmowa)

Clifford Geertz, „Interpretacja kultur. Wybrane eseje”, tłum. Maria M. Piechaczek, Wyd. UJ, Kraków 2005 (fragmenty)

Hayden White, „Poetyka pisarstwa historycznego”, red. Ewa Domańska i Marek Wilczyński, Universitas, Kraków 2010 / Dominick LaCapra, „Historia w okresie przejściowym”, tł. Katarzyna Bojarska, Universitas, Kraków 2009

„Polsko-niemieckie miejsca pamięci”, red. Robert Traba, Hans Henning Hahn, współpr. Maciej Górny, Kornelia Kończal, Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar, Warszawa, Tom I-IV (wybór)

„Antropologia kultury wizualnej”, opr. Iwona Kurz, Paulina Kwiatkowska, Łukasz Zaremba, Wydawnictwa UW, Warszawa 2012 (wybór tekstów)

Aleksander Wallis, „Socjologia przestrzeni”, Niezależna Oficyna Wydawnicza, Warszawa 1990

Urszula Jarecka, „Konceptualizacja zagrożeń biotechnologicznych w kulturze audiowizualnej”, w: „Nie tylko Internet. Nowe media, przyroda…”, red. Janusz Mucha, Nomos, Kraków 2010 (fragmenty)

Additional literature (optional):

Zygmunt Bauman, „Płynne czasy. Życie w epoce niepewności”, Wydawnictwo Sic!, Warszawa 2007

Zygmunt Bauman, „Płynna nowoczesność”, Wydawnictwo Literackie, Kraków 2006 (fragmenty)

Clifford Geertz, „Wiedza lokalna. Dalsze eseje z zakresu antropologii interpretatywnej”, przeł. Dorota Wolska, Wyd. UJ, Kraków 2005

Kazimierz Ślęczka, „Feminizm. Ideologie i koncepcje społeczne współczesnego feminizmu”, Katowice 1999

Barbara Szacka, „Czas przeszły, pamięć, mit”, Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar, Warszawa 2006

Maciej Ożóg, „Transgresje panoptykonu. Nadzór w dobie technologii cyfrowych”, „Kultura Współczesna” nr 2 (60) 2009

„W stronę socjologii przedmiotów”, red .Marek Krajewski, Wydawnictwo Naukowe UAM, Poznań 2005

„Studia nad nauką i technologią”. Wybór tekstów, red. Ewa Bińczyk, Aleksandra Derra, Wydawnictwo Naukowe UMK, Toruń 2014

Łukasz Afeltowicz, „Modele, artefakty, kolektywy. Praktyka badawcza w perspektywie współczesnych studiów nad nauką”, Wydawnictwo Naukowe UMK, Toruń 2012

Ania Loomba, „Kolonializm/Postkolonializm”, Wydawnictwo Poznańskie, Poznań 2011 (fragmenty)

Anna Burzyńska, Michał Paweł Markowski, „Teorie literatury XX wieku”. Podręcznik, Wydawnictwo Znak, Kraków 2006

Knowledge: student knows and understands:

- in a deep way concepts and principles of humanities, especially cultural studies (and its interdisciplinary approach); its relations and inspirations; has knowledge about schools and research areas combined with the knowledge about cultural heritage and historical and modern context of Central and Eastern Europe. (K2_W01)

- in a deep way terminology of cultural studies including research perspective of Central and Eastern Europe and special type of development of the studies in the region (K2_W02)

- in a deep way intercultural context, social structures and cultural products and its function, as well as , how they are perceived by different national, ideological and religious groups, or various other minorities (K2_W07)

Skills: student can:

- define and analyse problems, use scientific methods and tools as well as do the research independently or under supervision related to the Eastern and Central Europe in unpredictable condition (K2_U02)

- widen research skills, independently or under supervision gain knowledge, present research in various ways in unpredictable condition (K2_U03)

- use theoretical conceptions, notions and ideas dedicated to cultural studies in typical and non-typical professional situations (K2_U04)

Social competences: student is ready to:

- critical assess of the gained knowledge, develop and supplement the knowledge (K2_K01)

- effective communicate in diverse society, especially different than the own one; be a team leader, and deal in typical and non-typical social situations; evaluate views in the discussion and value the knowledge (K2_K02)

Written assessment (50%) and assessment (50%). Students are encouraged to proactiveness to present their views and reflection during classes (on the topics from the sylabus).

Grading scale:

0%-49% - 2

50%-60% - 3

61%-70% - 3+

71%-80% - 4

81%-90% - 4+

91%-100% - 5

Additional knowledge - 5+

Didactic methods

Problem solving, discussions and debates, “brain storming”, audiovisual methods, case studies, situational games (depends on class).