GRADUATE SEMINAR

Fall 2010

Figures of the Political/Economy – Shades of Power

Tuesday 2.00pm-5.00pm

Kenan Labs 125

This class will explore the four major “figures”/theories of power and politics in contemporary social and cultural theory. It seeks to explore the relations among them, the harmonies, fissures and contradictions. For each figure, we will read and discuss founding works as well as more contemporary elaboration. The final part of the class will read a number of recent analyses that, in different ways, attempt to work with and between multiple figures. Below are some possible readings.

The Marxian Legacy I (2 weeks)

Selections from The Althusserean Legacy and Rethinking Marxism,

Resnick and Wolff, David Ruccio, J.K. Gibson-Graham, David Harvey.

The Marxian Legacy II: Hegemony (3 weeks)

Selections from Gramsci, Laclau and Mouffe, Hall, Clarke, Brennan

Biopower (3 Weeks)

Selections from Foucault’s biopolitics trilogy, Agamben, Rose

Autonomy (3 weeks)

Selections from Hardt and Negri, Lotringer and Marazzi, Virno, Marcos,

Connolly, Holloway, Graeber

Conversations, Articulations, and Hybridities (3 weeks)

Selections from Puar, Ruccio, Rajan