Study program Sociology Course SOCIOLOGY OF IDENTITY Graduate level Status of the course Cultural Sociology - Compulsory course Graduate Study in Sociology Optional course Year 2 Semester 1 ECTS credits 5 Teacher dr. Biljana Kašić, full professor e-mail bkasic@unizd.hr consultation hours 18h-19h, by appointment Associate / assistant / e-mail consultation hours Place of teaching Classroom no. 121 The lectures and seminars that include interdisciplinary Teaching methods approaches to teaching, cooperative learning, inclusion, and critical thinking assessment. Teaching workload Lectures + Seminars 2 L+ 1S ; 30 h L + 15 h S + Exercises Knowledge will be checked continuously during the course on the basis of active participation and preparation for discussions on specific topics, presentations, critical Examination methods argumentation during analyzing texts and conversation, and passing the exam. In the grading, participation in seminar meetings, presentations of specific topics and the exam (theoretical essay) will be evaluated. Start date 22.10.2013. End date 28.01.2014. 1. term 2. term 3. term 4. term Colloquia 10.12.2014 1. term 2. term 3. term 4. term Examination period 11. 02. 15. 25. 02. 15. 9. 09.15. 23. 09.15. On the basis of acquired knowledge and cognitive ways in which theoretical problems will be analysed and articulated throughout this course, students will: Learning outcomes critically apply different theoretical insights on identity in the analysis of the complex processes of contemporaneity, analyze and compare various theoretical concepts of identities within specific areas (social, cultural, geopolitical, virtual), acquire skills to connect the various sources of theoretical knowledge on identities and their applications in the analysis of social interaction within reality, articulate social phenomena such as social trauma, anxiety, contingency, ruptures, border zones,
Enrolment prerequisites Course subject postmemory, non identity, apply acquired knowledge and scientific skills in interdisciplinary research on identity issues. Basic knowledge from social theory, openness to critical thinking and interdisciplinary encounters and insights. The main objective of the course is to enable students to critically reflect on the various theoretical insights and ambiguous concepts of identity and the politics of identification in the analysis of the processes of contemporaneity on the one hand, and on the other, to enable scientifically responsible and ethical interpretations of social phenomena and processes using a multidisciplinary perspective. The course will cover the basic concepts, issues and controversies of identity theory and the ways in which they are articulated especially in contemporary socio-political and cultural discourses, by reflecting on the underlying concepts of contemporary theorists on the core issues of identity (basic theoretical concepts; identity(-ies), the difference and the construction of Otherness; signifiers and aspects of social identity; identities, social interaction and modes of exclusion; identities, ruptures and social trauma; (post)memory and identities; matrix of discrimination, globalization and the problem of 'cultural intimacy' etc. while affirming the critical perspective in the approach. We will analyze the approaches and concepts of authors such as Z. Bauman, M. Herzfeld, De Genova, S. Hall, J. Butler, I. Rogoff, G. Anzaldúa, P. Gilroy, G.Ch. Spivak, P.J. Burke, R. Jenkins, H. Bhabha and others. The course will, along with the sociological, offer a wide-range of theoretical methods of research using the contributions of women s, cultural, postcolonial and border studies. Abrams, D. and Hogg, M.A. 1990. Social Identity Theory: Constructive and Critical Advances. London: Harvester- Wheatsheaf. Bauman, Z. 2004. Identity. Conversations with Benedetto Vecchi. Cambridge: Polity Required reading Bhikhu, P. 2008. A New Politics of Identity: Political Principles for an Interdependent World. Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan. Burke, Peter J., and Stets, E. J. 2009. Identity theory. New York: Oxford University Giddens, A. 1991. Modernity and Self-Identity. Self and Society in the Late Modern Age. Cambridge: Polity Taylor, Ch. 1989. Sources of the Self. The Making of Modern Identity. Cambridge/Massachusetts: Harvard University
The students are required to read all the texts in the course reader. The selected texts/chapters of books will be recommended for specific content of seminar meetings. Agamben, G. 2006. 1998. Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Anzaldúa, G. 2007. Borderlands. La Frontera. The New Mestiza. San Francisco: Aunt Lute Books. Ashcroft, B., Griffiths, G. and Tiffin, H. eds. 1995. The Post- Colonial Studies Reader. London and New York:Routledge (selected chapters). Ashcroft, B. 2001. Post-colonial transformation. London and New York: Routledge. Bhabha, H.K. 1994. The Location of Culture. London and New York: Routledge (selected chapter). Butler, J. 1990. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York and London: Routledge. Butler. J. 2004. Precarious Life. The Power of Mourning and Violence. New York and London: Verso Publisher. Butler J. and Athanasiou, A. 2013. Dispossession: The Performative in the Political. Cambridge: Polity Additional reading Castells, M. 1997. The Power of Identity, The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture, Vol. II. Cambridge, MA; Oxford, UK: Blackwell. Connolly, W.E. 1991. Identity/Difference. Democratic Negotiations of Political Paradox. Minneapolis/London: University of Minnesota De Genova, N. and Peutz, N. eds. 2010. The Deportation Regime: Sovereignty, Space, and the Freedom of Movement. Durham, NC: Duke University During, S. ed. 1999. The Cultural Studies Reader. London & New York: Routledge (selected chapters). Fanon, F. 2007. Black Skin, White Masks. New York: Grove Hirsch, M. 2012. The Generation of Postmemory: Writing and Visual Culture After the Holocaust. New York: Columbia University Jenkins, R. 1996. Social Identity. New York& London: Rutgers Laclau, E. 2007. Emancipation(s). London and New York:
Verso. Lévinas, E. 2006. Humanism of the Other. Urbana & Chicago: University of Illinois Rogoff, I. 2000. Terra Infirma. Geography s Visual Culture. London & New York: Routledge (selected chapters). Internet resources Quality assurance Conditions for obtaining signatures Assignments of the credits for colloquia, seminars, exercises, exams Stryker, S. 2002. Symbolic interactionism: A social structural version. Caldwell, NJ: Blackburn. Specific articles needed for student research and seminars, and selected video materials. In accordance with the Quality Assurance Manual of the Department of Sociology and Quality Assurance Manual of the University of Zadar. Joint annual evaluations of courses within the joint degree program consortium (General Programme Board). Along with knowledge of the English language, regular attendance and intensive preparations of materials and texts which will be discussed at the lectures and within seminars. Also, an interactive approach and openness towards critical points of view is expected from the students. Within the seminar meetings, students will also hold short presentations as an introduction to discussions on particular themes. Beside the regular attendance, requirement for taking the exam is to have passed the colloquium exam. A maximum 2 absences from lectures and from seminars will be tolerated per semester. The quality of the students presentations of specific articles will be assessed (understanding, critical approach to articles on theory, presentation methods), class participation in discussions during seminars, colloquium exam (understanding, critical approach to the content and deliberating the crucial topics) as well as the quality of final essay (interpretation, innovation, -in depth exploration). Assignments of the final grade Remarks - 30 % participation (level of participation, critical responses, individual presentation) - 20 % colloquium exam - 50 % final essay. A final essay is due on a topic of the student s choice, based on class readings and course topics. The essay must relate to the literature discussed in class, but you are expected to incorporate outside sources. The length should be between 10 and 14 pages in total. You will be expected to uphold the highest standards of academic honesty. The bottom line is do not cheat or plagiarize Intentionally or unintentionally passing off written work as your own - i.e. without adequate referencing is considered plagiarism and will be dealt with accordingly.
Teaching topics lectures No. Date Title Literature 1. 22.10.2014 Introduction to the course // Various sources and theoretical insights including: Burke, P.J. and Stets, E. J. 2009. Identity theory. New York: Oxford Univ. 2. 29.10.2014 3. 5.11.2014 Questions of identity in contemporary theories Society and identities: epistemological questions and concepts Kalanj, R. 2008. Modernizacija i identitet (Modernization and Identity). Zagreb: Politička kultura. Castells, M. 1997. The Power of Identity, The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture, Vol. II. Cambridge, MA; Oxford, UK: Blackwell. Connolly, W.E. 1991. Identity/Difference. Democratic Negotiations of Political Paradox. Minneapolis/ London: University of Minnesota Rogoff, I. 2000. Terra Infirma. Geography s Visual Culture. London & New York: Routledge. (selected chapters) Jenkins, R. 1996. Social Identity. New York& London: Rutgers 4. 12.11.2014 Identity: Particular vs Universal, Individual vs Collective Giddens, A. 1991. Modernity and Self- Identity. Self and Society in the Late Modern Age. Cambridge: Polity Taylor, Ch.1989. Sources of the Self. The Making of Modern Identity. Cambridge/ Massachusetts: Harvard University
5. 19.11.2014 6. 26.11.2014 Subject, epistemic violence and the production of Otherness Space of identities: on geopolitical mapping, division and inequality Ashcroft, B., Griffiths, G. and Tiffin, H. eds. 1995. The Post-Colonial Studies Reader. London and New York: Routledge (selected chapters). Various sources including: During, S., ed. 1999. The Cultural Studies Reader. London & New York: Routledge. (selected chapters). Ashcroft, B. 2001. Post-colonial transformation. London and New York: Routledge. Bhabha, H.K. 1994. The Location of Culture. London and New York: Routledge. 7. 3.12.2014 8. 10.12.2014 Identities, lines of inclusion/exclusion and social surveillance Global and/or cultural intimacy? Controversies about globality, cultural citizenship and identity - colloquium exam Various sources and theoretical insights including: Deleuze, G. and Guattari, F. 1987. A Thousand Plateaus. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Fanon, F. 2007. Black Skin, White Masks. New York: Grove Gilroy, P. 1992. The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness. Cambridge: Harvard University Bauman, B. 2004. Identity. Conversations with Bennedetto Vecchi. Cambridge: Polity Press (selected excerpts). Herzfeld, M. 2004. Cultural Intimacy: Social Poetics in the Nation-state. London and New York:
9. 17.12.2014 The deportation regime: citizenship, noncitizens, classes, races 10. 7.01.2015 Social trauma, ruptures and identities Routledge (selected excerpts). De Genova, N. and Peutz, N. eds. 2010. The Deportation Regime: Sovereignty, Space, and the Freedom of Movement. Durham, NC: Duke University Butler. J. 2004. Precarious Life. The Power of Mourning and Violence. New York and London: Verso Publisher. 11. 14.01.2015 Art praxis, performance and border identities Gloria Anzaldúa. 2007. Borderlands. La Frontera. The New Mestiza. San Francisco: Aunt Lute Books. 12. 21.01.2015 Identities, subjects and forms of dispossessions 13. 28.01.2015 Sociality and post-identity politics 14. 15. Butler J. and Athanasiou, A. 2013. Dispossession: The Performative in the Political. Cambridge: Polity Bhikhu, P. 2008. A New Politics of Identity: Political Principles for an Interdependent World. Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan. Kwame A. A. 2004. The Ethics of Identity. Princeton: Princeton University Spivak, G. Ch. 2012. An Aesthetic Education in the Era of Globalization. Harvard: Harvard University Seminars No. Date Title Literature 1. 22.10.2014 Clarifications and discussion tied to the course syllabus // 2. 29.10.2014 Identities and multiplications of questions Hall, S. 1996. Who needs 'identity'?,
a view from the present - group discussion on paper by Stuart Hall: Who needs 'identity'? available at: http://www.northwestern. edu/clcst/pdf/hall.pdf 3. 5.11.2014 4. 12.11.2014 Mapping of identities. Social roles, archetypal traces and production of stereotypes - discussion within small groups Identity issues - group discussions on questions that emerge out of the chapter: E. Laclau. Universalism, Particularism and the Question of Identity, in: Laclau, E. 1996. Emancipation(s). // Laclau,E. Universalism, Particularism and the Question of Identity, in: Laclau, E. 1996. Emancipation(s). London: Verso, pp. 20-36. 5. 19.11.2014 6. 26.11.2014 Other and Otherness - individual presentations and group discussion on the texts: A. R. JanMohamed. The Economy of Manichean Allegory and T. T. Minh-ha. No Master Territories. Source: The Post-Colonial Studies Reader. 1995. (B. Ashcroft, G. Griffiths and H. Tiffin, eds.). Globalization and spatial identities - individual presentations of the required reading texts and group discussion: A. Appadurai. Disjunction and Difference, in: The Post-Colonial Studies Reader. 1995. H. K. Bhabha. 1994. The Location of Culture. Chapter: The Other Question: stereotype, discrimination and the discourse of colonialism. JanMohamed, A.R. The Economy of Manichean Allegory, in: The Post- Colonial Studies Reader. 1995. (B. Ashcroft, G. Griffiths and H. Tiffin, eds.). London and New York: Routledge, pp. 19-24. Minh-ha, T.T. No Master Territories, in: The Post-Colonial Studies Reader. 1995. (B. Ashcroft, G. Griffiths and H. Tiffin, eds.). London and New York: Routledge, pp. 196-199. Appadurai, A. Disjunction and Difference, in: The Post-Colonial Studies Reader. 1995. (B. Ashcroft, G. Griffiths and H. Tiffin, eds.). London and New York: Routledge, pp. 468-473. Bhabha, H.K. 1994. The Location of Culture. London and New York: Routledge. Chapter: The Other Question:
7. 3.12.2014 8. 10.12.2014 9. 17.12.2014 10. 7.01.2015 Politics of identities and matrices of discrimination - discussion in small groups Global and/or cultural intimacy? Controversies about globality, cultural citizenship and identity colloquium exam Deportation, mobility and 'non identities' - social and ethical implications Group Discussion Belonging, vulnerability and constitution of the possible - Discussion on memory and postmemory based on Marianne Hirsch s video-materials stereotype, discrimination and the discourse of colonialism, pp.94-121. /// /// Electronic media materials. Hirsch, M. 2012. The Generation of Postmemory: Writing and Visual Culture After the Holocaust. New York: Columbia University Critical agency or resistant subject? 11. 14.01.2015 Discussion on video materials created by Guillermo Gómez-Peña and Tanja Ostojić 12. 24.01.2015 Sociality, groups and dispossessions - discussion in small groups 13. 28.01.2015 Evaluation 14. /// /// Exercises No. Date Title Literature 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Teacher: Biljana Kašić