| CODE | ATS5218 | ||||||
| TITLE | Decadence, Disenchantment, Destruction: The Aesthetics of Decline | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 10 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Faculty of Arts | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The study-unit examines the aesthetics of decline and the narratives of disenchantment from the 19th century (Schopenhauer, Baudelaire, Huysmans "À rebours", French decadence) to today, giving special attention to the notion of destruction in art, literature, cinema and architecture. Although focused principally on Modern European literature, History of Ideas and European philosophy, the study-unit will also briefly explore the aesthetics of decline throughout Western History, especially the Modern interpretation (Montesquieu, Gibbon) of the Fall of the Roman empire. Study-unit Aims The aims of this study-unit are: - To examine the aesthetics of decline and the narratives of disenchantment, focusing on Modern European literature and philosophy. - To briefly explore the aesthetics of decline throughout Western History, including modern and contemporary popular culture. Learning Outcomes 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Define the notions of decline, decadence, destruction, disenchantment. - Associate these notions with works of literature, philosophy and art - Explain why and how they can be associated. - Have a critical insight on the notion of decline. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Improve his knowledge of the literary canon in the perspective of academic research. - Make links between the literary canon and popular culture. - Improve the intellectual ability to write a paper of a scholarly nature in the academic field of the Humanities. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings 1. Adorno, Theodor W. Minima Moralia: Reflections from Damaged Life [Reflexionen aus dem beschädigten Leben], Translation E. F. N. Jephcott , Verso, "Radical Thinkers Classics", 2001. 2. Gauchet, Marcel. The Disenchantment of the World [Le Désenchantement du monde], Translation Oscar Burge, Princeton University Press, "New French Thought", 1999. 3. Guénon, René. Crisis of the Modern Word [La Crise du monde moderne], Translation Marco Pallis and Richard Nicholson, Luzac, 1975. 4. Bull, Malcolm (éd.). Apocalypse theory and the ends of the world, Blackwell, 1995. 5. Agamben, Giorgio. The Coming Communauty [La comunita che viene]. Translation Michael Hardt. University of Minnesota Press, 1993. The lecturer will recommend a Reader for the students. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Seminar | ||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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