Has humanism and its belief in the rational individual as a rights-bearer failed? Does a conception of the ‘human’ as categorically different from other species still provide an adequate understanding of the human as an actor in the Anthropocene, the era (depending on the definition of this contentious but much-used term) since approximately 1750 when human action began to have a long-term effect on the planet and its resources? Theories of ‘posthumanism’ abound since the 1990s and seek to counter classic humanist conceptions by various strategies, including decentering the human in our perception of the world, highlighting the porosity of the putatively stable boundary between humans and other species as well as humans and machines. Literary and filmic genres such as science fiction and dystopia have actively challenged such boundaries, imagining ‘otherwise’, but also calling for a critical investigation of the process of boundary-drawing and its cultural function. Eco-narratives of different kinds, often overlapping with dystopian or apocalyptic genres address the devastating effects of human agency and action upon the environment.
In this class, we will look at (literary and theoretical) texts that seek to conceptualize the human as well as the posthuman, that critically investigate both humanism and its posthumanist criticism. The theoretical texts and short stories will be uploaded on Digicampus, but please get a copy of Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake (2003).
This class is taught online due to Covid-19 precautions, but we will meet every two to three weeks via zoom for 60-90 minutes sessions. I will give you assignments and feedback during the time between our live sessions and offer additional conversations with smaller groups and individual students if and when needed.
Anmelderegeln
Diese Veranstaltung gehört zum Anmeldeset "ELW/ALW/NELK MA: Ü".
Folgende Regeln gelten für die Anmeldung:
Diese Regel gilt von 02.10.2020 10:00 bis 26.10.2020 10:00. Die Anmeldung zu maximal 1 Veranstaltungen des Anmeldesets ist erlaubt.
Es wird eine festgelegte Anzahl von Plätzen in den Veranstaltungen verteilt.
Die Plätze in den betreffenden Veranstaltungen wurden am 28.10.2020 um 10:00 verteilt. Weitere Plätze werden evtl. über Wartelisten zur Verfügung gestellt.
Die Anmeldung ist möglich von 02.10.2020, 10:00 bis 26.10.2020, 10:00.
