Proseminar Linguistics and semiotics in cultural studies

The overall aim of this class is to provide participants with the basic methodological tools of linguistics and semiotics currently applied within the field of cultural studies. If the simplest definition of semiotics is -the study of signs-, semiotics could be anywhere, as Daniel Chandler has put it in his introductory textbook (also available online at http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/the_book.html): for, what is a sign? To begin with, our investigation into the workings of textual codes and semiotic modes of analysis will be guided by such questions as, What are the basic constituents of textuality? and, In what specific ways do texts, sign users and codes make part of a culture? While trying to find our way through the more recent -cultural turns- and approaches of semiotics, we will also make a short excursus to consider such early models of sign theory as conceived by thinkers of Greek antiquity and the Latin world. An important item on the agenda will certainly be the essential groundwork laid by the founding fathers of the semiotic discipline, Ferdinand de Saussure and Charles Sanders Peirce. When investigating the subject of representation and discourse we will take a look at the workings of human imagination and metaphorical creativity within the larger context of language and the symbolic order. Reading into Roland Barthes' Empire of Signs and leaving aside for a while traditional Western linguistics and philosophy, participants will be encouraged to reflect upon alternative conceptions of subjectivity and sign use, including both Indian and Zen Buddhist approaches towards the matter. Taking inspiration from the critical work of Jacques Derrida, the crucial question to ask about signlessness seems to be: how could we ever discard our so-called -metaphysical complicity- with the sign? A very short, but regular discussion of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers seeks to give you some guidance on doing academic research as well as provide you with a context for developing strategies of critical thinking and discussion. However, you will also get a chance to experiment with alternative ways of organising and visualising your ideas, tapping into your creativity with the help of mindmapping techniques and exploring the use of classical mnemotechnical devices. In order to incorporate some practical experience in this class, certain time slots will be kept free for organising our own Cultural Studies conference, with students arranging and chairing the various sessions. Regular reading assignments will form an important part of this class. A READER containing all the texts for the set reading will be available for purchase at the WISO-Pool copyshop (and alternatively, for download on Moodle, https://moodle.uni-kassel.de/moodle/) by the beginning of the term. We will roughly follow a COURSEBOOK designed to cover the key topics to be discussed in this unit: the document will be made available to registered students during the first weeks of the term. Flâneurs in the library welcome at: http://www.uni-kassel.de/bib/ub_bb02/bb2_semesterapp.html Bemerkung Assessment will be based upon regular assignments, a final test and a written paper. Attendance at first session (14 April 2010) mandatory! Please be in touch with a.lettner@uni-kassel.de: you will receive an INTRODUCTORY BOOKLET, which contains more detailed information about the aims and methods of this class, including a week-by-week schedule of the various topics. Voraussetzungen Participants must have passed the introductory course to linguistics. FB 02 Institut für Anglistik / Amerikanistik Participants must have passed the introductory course to linguistics. Uni Kassel SoSe 2010 Anglistik/Englisch Anglistik/Englisch Lettner Alina