CS 6391 Approaches to Comparative Cultural Studies II

Department of Comparative Studies

Spring Semester 2015
Course Call Number: 16749
CS Conference Room; T 2:20-5:15 pm

Instructor: Eugene W. Holland Office: 448 Hagerty Hall

Office Hours: R 1:00-3:00pm Email: holland.1@osu.edu
(and by appointment)

Course Description

The aim of this course is to introduce you to a range of theories and methods of cultural
analysis and comparison, and acquaint you with some of the conceptual tools used in
the construction of comparative studies scholarship. We will read texts by authors from
diverse historical and geopolitical contexts and engage with their commentary upon the
interpretation of culture. The central keyword serving as the focal point for the various
theories and approaches under consideration is exchange, but we will also be
addressing questions of disciplinarity, anti-disciplinarity and inter-disciplinarity;
citizenship; modernity and post-modernity; global cosmopolitanism; religion; ethnicity;
science; hermeneutics and representation. The concepts will be explored through three
kinds of comparative conversation: historical, geo-political, and inter/disciplinary. The
concepts will also be assessed for their use in the critical analysis and comparative
study of authoritative discourses and social practices in varying socio-historical
contexts.

Course Requirements

Class meetings will be devoted largely to discussion and critical evaluation of the
assigned readings. It is therefore essential that you carefully read the texts.
Requirements include active participation in discussions, preparation of weekly
scholarly responses covering all the reading for the given week, an in-class presentation
on one of the essays or books assigned for the course, and a final essay due the first
day of exam week (approx. 15-20 double-spaced typed pages). Further details
regarding assignments will be distributed in class and available on Carmen. The final
grade will be determined by the quality of your participation, including the preparation of
scholarly responses (35% of the final grade), of your presentation (20%), and of the final
paper (45%).

This is the second course in a two-semester introduction to critical and cultural theory,
which can also stand alone as an introduction to key concepts for formulating
interdisciplinary and critical research projects in cultural studies. Primarily designed for
graduate students in the Department of Comparative Studies, the course is also open to
graduate students from across the university.
Weekly reading responses (35%)

Class meetings will be devoted to discussion and critical evaluation of the assigned
readings, and active participation in class discussion is essential to your success in the
class. Each student will post two brief but substantial questions about the week’s
reading on Carmen by 5:00 p.m. on the Sunday prior to class. I will read these
responses/questions before every class and use them as starting-points for class
discussion.

Questions may be of two kinds: clarification and evaluation. Questions of the first kind
direct our attention to difficult passages in the text under consideration, which collective
discussion may help clarify. Questions of the second kind pose challenges to the text
by critically examining its assumptions, evidence, exclusions, standpoint, etc. Your
questions each week may be of either or both kinds, and should reference specific
passages in the text. Your attendance grade is tied to these responses (although
someone who posts but does not attend class receives no credit for that day) and to the
quality of participation in class discussion.

In-class Presentation (20%)

Each student will give a brief presentation of one week’s reading to launch class
discussion. Guidelines for the presentations will be distributed in class and available on
Carmen. The presentation grade will be based on the presenter’s understanding of the
material, ability to link the readings to previous readings and class discussions, and
original and creative application of texts to other issues and concepts.

Final Paper (45%)

You will write a research paper (15-20 pages) on a topic of your own choosing that is
relevant to the class readings. The final paper is due on the first day of the exam period.

Required Texts (available at SBX as well as, in many cases, online):

Georges Bataille, The Accursed Share, Volume 1

Rey Chow, The Protestant Ethnic and the Spirit of Capitalism
William Connolly, Capitalism and Christianity, American Syle
Gibson-Graham, The End of Capitalism (as We Knew It)
Marcel Mauss, The Gift
Friedrich Nietzsche, The Genealogy of Morality
John Protevi, Life, War, Earth
Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
Wolff & Resnick, Contending Economic Theories

Shorter readings are available on the course CARMEN website, in Adobe PDF format.
(Adobe Reader required; Acrobat strongly recommended)
Course Outline

Date___ Topic__________________________ Reading(s)_____________________________________

Jan 13 Disciplinarity, A-disciplinarity M. Foucault, “Order of Discourse”

Jan 20 Comparative Economics Wolff & Resnick, Contending Economic Theories

Jan 27 Modern Political Economy Excerpts from Marx

Feb 3 Pre-Modern Economies: M. Mauss, The Gift

Ethnography
Feb 10 Alter-Economies I F. Nietzsche, Genealogy of Morality

Feb 17 Alter-Economies II: Anthropology G. Bataille, The Accursed Share

Feb 24 Capitalism & Religion I: Sociology M. Weber, Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Mar 3 Ethnic Studies R. Chow, Protestant Ethnic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Mar 10 Feminism/Pomo/Psychoanalysis Gibson-Graham, The End of Capitalism (as we knew it)

Mar 24 Capitalism & Religion II W. Connolly, Capitalism and Christianity, American Style

Mar 31 Literary Studies: Hermeneutics Essays by L. Goldman, G. Lukacs, W. Benjamin

Apr 7 Science Studies J. Protevi, Life, War, Earth

M. DeLanda, “Markets and Anti-Markets”
Apr 14 Exemplum and concluding discussion E. Holland, “Cosmopolitanism and Nomad Markets”

All students are responsible for reading, understanding, and following university rules
regarding cheating and plagiarism, which will be strictly enforced (see Faculty Rule
3335-31-02 on Academic Misconduct in the Ohio State University Student Handbook).
Any students who feel that they may be academically disadvantaged due to the impact
of a documented disability should contact me and the Office of Disability Services in
Room 150 Pomerene Hall (292-3307) to arrange accommodations.