PHIL 721: Advanced Seminar in Philosophy

PHIL 721-001: Bio-/Necro-/Body-Politics
(Fall 2023)

04:30 PM to 07:10 PM R

Innovation Hall 330

Section Information for Fall 2023

Graduate Seminar Fall 2023 theme: Biopolitics, Necropolitics, Body-Politics

On this course, we will track the development of one of the most important analytical frameworks to have emerged from recent continental philosophy, namely, that of biopolitics. Beginning with Michel Foucault’s work on biopower and its relation to governmentality, we will go on to explore how Giorgio Agamben offers an alternative theory of both sovereign power and biopolitics, before examining the important corrective to the Eurocentric lens of both Foucault and Agamben provided by Achille Mbembe, via his pathbreaking work on necropolitics.

We will proceed to examine two further counter lenses. The first is provided by feminist philosopher Adriana Cavarero, who draws on Hannah Arendt (a key background figure for this course) to reorient the framing of the political via her attention to sexuate difference, natality, and birth. The second is found in the work of Latin American philosopher Walter Mignolo, whose decolonial approach to body politics can be read generatively alongside both Mbembe and Cavarero. We will explore Mignolo’s suggestion that the emphasis on the universal that characterizes Western modernity should be displaced by the pluriversal, and conclude by reading Françoise Vergès’ proposals for a decolonial feminist politics, oriented by her question, “who cleans the world?”

Students will have the option to write a final paper that either, analyses a selection of the philosophical texts, theories and concepts examined on this course and assesses their implications for theorizing the political; or, explicates a number of the theories and concepts studied and applies them to a specific political issue to be selected, researched and contextualized by the student in consultation with the course instructor.

 

Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Close study of selected topics in current philosophical discourse. Notes: May be repeated for credit when topic is different. May be repeated within the term.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Non-Degree level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lec/Sem #1, Lec/Sem #2, Lec/Sem #3, Lec/Sem #4, Lec/Sem #5, Lec/Sem #6, Lec/Sem #7, Lec/Sem #8, Lec/Sem #9, Sem/Lec #10, Sem/Lec #11, Sem/Lec #12, Sem/Lec #13, Sem/Lec #14, Sem/Lec #15, Sem/Lec #16, Sem/Lec #17, Sem/Lec #18, Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.