THEME: Emotions
Over the past decade and a half emotions have moved to the forefront of scientific investigation, humanistic inquiry, and artistic practice. This development owes much to research in the neurosciences, which has challenged scholars in the arts and humanities to reframe their endeavors in light of the new perspectives opened up by the neural age. But other developments have played their part as well: the rise of social media and of new social movements, the global phenomenon of “terror”, and the impact of on-going processes of dislocation, conflict, and trauma in the early 21st century.
Standing at the intersection of science, the humanities, and the arts, emotions have emerged as interdisciplinary objects par excellence. This seminar is open to faculty who engage with the topic of emotions from a wide range of perspectives. Participants may explore the representation and mobilization of emotion in art, literature, film and music; the question of whether emotions have a history, and conversely, whether they make history; the implications of emotions studies for philosophical practice; and the role played by fear, empathy, passion, and guilt, in politics, religion, and war.
Readings
- William Reddy, “Historical Research on the Self and Emotions”, in Emotion Review 1,4 (2009): 302-315
- Jan Plamper, The History of Emotions: An Introduction (Oxford 2015), Intro, chs. 1, 3
- Jesse Prinz, “The Emotional Basis of Moral Judgments,” Philosophical Explorations 9,1 (2006)
- Jesse Prinz, The Emotional Construction of Morals (Oxford 2007), ch. 2
- Ruth Leys, “The Turn to Affect: A Critique,” Critical Inquiry 37 (2011)
- Joseph Ledoux, TBA
- Giuliana Bruno, Atlas of the Emotions: Journeys in Art, Architecture and Film (Verso 2002), selections
- Corey Robin, Fear: History of a Political Idea (Oxford 2004), Intro, ch 1-3
- Sianne Ngai, Ugly Feelings (Harvard 2005)
Guest Speakers
Jesse Prinz, CUNY Graduate Center
Joseph LeDoux, NYU
Ruth Leys, Johns Hopkins University
Participant List
- Andrea Weiss, Documentary Filmmaker & Nonfiction Author
- Andreas Killen, Professor of History
- Chad Kidd, Publishing Author
- Elazar Elhanan, Assistant professor of Jewish Studies
- Elizabeth Mazzola, Professor of English
- Jeffrey Blustein, Professor of Bioethics and Professor of Philosophy
- John Blanton, Assistant Professor of History
- Jonathan Pieslak, Professor and Composer
- Hidetaka Hirota, Visiting Assistant Professor of History
- Václav Paris, Assistant Professor of English
