Tragedy and Affect
CHUM 368
Spring 2012
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
CCIV 368, GOVT 356 |
How do we respond to mass violence, natural disaster, and personal misfortune as members of collectives and as individuals? How are the emotions connected to the experience of tragedy affected by time, culture, and political climate? The affective landscape of tragedy provides a microcosm for examining aesthetic, social, and political questions, and texts in this interdisciplinary course will include literature, drama, philosophy, and political theory. We will examine the complex emotions related to devastation, renewal, and justice, beginning with Aeschylus' ORESTEIA and Euripides' HECUBA and continuing with contemporary events, including apartheid in South Africa, the Vietnam War, and Hurricane Katrina. The Greek plays will serve as an entry point for an examination of anger, pity, fear, shame, and joy and their role in defining social roles and shaping institutionalized responses. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Effective Citizenship, Ethical Reasoning |
| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA CHUM |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Major Requirement for: (GOVT)(GOVT-Theory) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Aeschylus, ORESTEIA 0-226-30778-6
Euripides, HECUBA 1-58510-148-6
Aristotle, POETICS 0-226-31394-8; NICHOMACHEAN ETHICS 019283407; RHETORIC 978-1-61640-308-9
Martha Nussbaum, UPHEAVALS OF THOUGHT: THE INTELLIGENCE OF EMOTIONS 0521531829
Sharon Krause, CIVIL PASSIONS: MORAL SENTIMENT AND DEMOCRATIC DELIBERATION 0691137250
Catherine Cole, Performing SOUTH AFRICA'S TRUTH COMMISSION: STAGES OF TRANSITION 0253221455
Tim O'Brien, THE THINGS THEY CARRIED 0618706410
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Examinations and Assignments:
Two papers (6-8 pages)
Two exams |
| Instructor(s): Chakravarti,Sonali Visvardi,Eirene Times: .M.W... 01:10PM-02:30PM; Location: FISK210; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 50 | | SR major: 15 | JR major: 15 | | |
| Seats Available: 20 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 10 | JR non-major: 10 | SO: 0 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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