Textos culturales en lengua inglesa I

Rev. 16 September 2003

This course is an attempt to probe contemporary problematics; in other words, to heed, to take stock of, and reflect, where feasible, upon some of the present-day questioning of traditional positions on a number of issues, for example, the "subject" or the conventional literary canon. There is also an effort to look at different dilemmas on, for example, history, racism, feminism, multiculturalism, etc. All of this requires attention to the challenges of contemporary "theory" and their implication in several arenas.

Course requirements and grading

Since classes will be held in English, students are expected to be able to understand and express themselves in this language.

Class presentations of assigned readings and a final exam will be required.

Required reading

Selections from the following works or specific articles where indicated will be assigned:

Alcoff, Linda: "Cultural Feminism versus Post-Structuralism: The Identity Crisis in Feminist Theory". In Nancy Tuana and Rosemary Tong. Feminism & Philosophy: Essential Readings in Theory, Reinterpretation, and Application. Westview Press, 1995. 435-456. First published in Signs, 1998.
Appleby, Joyce, et al.: Selections from Knowledge and Postmodernism in Historical Perspective. Routledge, 1996.
Barthes, Roland: Selections from Image-Music-Text / ed. and tr. Stephen Heath. Hill & Wang, 1977.
Bennett, Andrew, and Nicolas Royle: Several chapters from Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory. 2nd edition. Prentice Hall, 1999.
Cabrera, Miguel Ángel: "On Language, Culture, and Social Action" / tr. Anna Fagan and Marie McMahon. History and Theory, Theme Issue 40 (December 2001). And a selection from his publication Historia, lenguaje y teoría de la sociedad. Cátedra, 2001
Cabrera, Miguel Ángel, and Marie McMahon (eds.): La situación de la Historia: Ensayos de historiografía. Universidad de La Laguna, 2002. Some selections.
Collini, Stefan: "Escape from DWEMsville". Times Literary Supplement. 4756 (27 May 1994); 3-4.
Derrida, Jacques: Writing and Difference / tr. Alan Bass. University of Chicago, 1978. 10: "Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences"; 278-293.
Foucault, Michel: Selections from The History of Sexuality. Vol. 1: An Introduction. And several interviews.
Johnson, Barbara: Translator's Introduction to: Jacques Derrida. Dissemination / tr. Barbara Johnson. University of Chicago Press, 1981. vii-xxxiii.
McMahon, Marie: "Políticas de la Historia y Guerras de la Cultura en Estados Unidos" / tr. Pedro Domínguez. In Miguel Ángel Cabrera and Marie McMahon (eds.). La situación de la Historia: Ensayos de historiografía. Universidad de La Laguna, 2002. 217-247.
Milner, Andrew: Literature, Culture, and Society. New York: New York University Press, 1996. First publ., UCL Press Ltd., 1996. 1: "Literature, Culture and the Canon"; 1-26. 2: "Analytical Strategies"; 27-59.
Steinem, Gloria: Revolution from Within. Little, Brown and Company, 1993. 3: "The Seduction of Science"; 131-139. 4: "Modern Measuring"; 139-149. And if appropriate, one or two of her essays.

Various articles from newspapers, journals, and books in reference to debate on history, including the accusation of "political correctness" and to commentary on The Bell Curve.

Other readings may be included in response to interests.