Critical Studies

Critical Studies of Media Arts and Sciences

Prof. Sha Xin Wei

3 credits

By permission of instructor.

Introduction

This is a readings-based seminar on the foundations of art research and the critical studies of media arts and sciences. It is intended to be taken by students doing graduate studies at the Doctoral and Masters levels, who are affiliated with the Topological Media Lab and the professor in charge. Topics and readings will vary according to the semester and individual participants' interests. Broadly they include gesture, agency, and materiality from phenomenological as well as technical perspectives, with ethico-aesthetic implications.

Schedule

Weekly discussion, paper at end of term. For the first month or so, please attend the CART 411 discussions Monday afternoons in EV7.735. Graduate students need only attend the discussion part of the class, which will typically run only the first 2 hours: 1:30-3:30 PM.

Proposed Readings Fall 2012

Critiques of language and representation
Wittgenstein
Heidegger

Critique of categories, power
Foucault
Stengers & Pignarre

Phenomenology, embodiment and everyday life
Lefebvre
Merleau-Ponty

Applications & Advanced Topics

In-situ design
Alexander

Vegetal experience
Goethe, Marden, LeGuin, FoAM

Temporality
Merleau-Ponty, Casey

Alchemy and Capitalist Sorcery
Pignarre & Stengers

Maths after Deleuze and Badiou
Milnor

Evaluation

A short term paper. (100%)

Note

This seminar will typically be offered every semester: Fall, Winter, and sometimes Summer.

Students from programs other than the SIP/ INDI should check with their home programs that they can take this course for credit.