Rhetorical Theory and Ethics Schedule

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Jan 20. Introduction to course and each other; edit pronouns/names in Canvas; sign up for Reading Presentations and Reading Notes Discussion Leader

  • For next time: Reading post on Kant due by Jan 26 at 1pm. (Leader’s posts due Jan 25.)

Jan 27. Kant, Immanuel. Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. 

  • For next time: Reading post on Mills/Mbembe/Césaire due by Jan Feb 2 at 1pm.

Feb 3. Mills, Charles. “Black Radical Kantianism.” Mbmebe, Achille. Introduction + Chapters 1 and 2. Césaire, Aimé. “Discourse on Colonialism.”  

  • Reading Presentations
  • Paper 1 due next time. Choose one text to read across one other text from Kant, Mills, Mbembe, and Césaire.

Feb10. Paper 1 presentations in two groups of 8-9.

  • For next time: Reading post on Nietzsche due by Feb 16 at 1pm.

Feb 17. Nietzsche, Friedrich. Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to the Future. 

  • Reading Presentations
  • For next time: Reading post on Fanon/Wynter due by Feb 23 at 1pm.

Feb 24. Fanon, Franz. “On Violence.” Wynter, Sylvia. “Unsettling the Coloniality of Being/Power/Truth/Freedom: Towards the Human, After Man, Its Overrepresentation—An Argument.”

  • Reading Presentations
  • For next time: Reading post on Lyotard and Thébaud due by March 2 at 1pm.

Mar 3. Lyotard, Jean-François and Jean-Lup Thébaud. Just Gaming.

  • Reading Presentations
  • For next time: Reading post on Butler due by March 9 at 1pm.

Mar 10. Butler, Judith. Giving an Account of Oneself. 

  • Reading Presentations

Mar 17. Spring Break!

  • For next time: Reading post on Wynter/Spillers/Halberstam due by March 23 at 1pm.

Mar 24. Wynter, Sylvia. “No Humans Involved: An Open Letter to My Colleagues.” Spillers, Hortense J. “Mama’s Baby, Papa’s Maybe: An American Grammar Book.” Halberstam, Jack. “The Wild Beyond: With and For the Undercommons.” 

  • Reading Presentations
  • Paper 2 due next time. Choose any one text to read across any other from among: Nietzsche, Fanon, Wynter (either), Lyotard, Butler, Spillers, and Halberstam.

Mar 31. Paper 2 presentations in two groups of 8-9.

  • For next time: Reading post on Levinas due by April 6 at 1pm.

April 7. Levinas, Emmanuel. Ethics and Infinity: Conversations with Philippe Nemo. 

  • Reading Presentations.
  • For next time: Reading post on Dufourmantelle and Derrida due by April 13 at 1pm.

April 14. Dufourmantelle, Anne and Jacques Derrida. Of Hospitality. 

  • Reading Presentations
  • For next time: Reading post on Derrida/Oliver/Toadvine/da Silva due by April 27 at 1pm.

April 28. Derrida, Jacques. “The Animal That Therefore I Am (More to Follow). The Animal That Therefore I Am.  Oliver, Kelly. “Animal Ethics: Toward an Ethics of Responsiveness.” Oliver, Kelly. “Rethinking Response Ethics: A Response to Len Lawlor.” Toadvine, Ted. “Life Beyond Biologism.” Denise Ferreira da Silva, “On Difference without Separability.” 

  • Reading Presentations
  • Paper 3 due next time. Choose any one text to read across any other from among: Levinas, Dufourmantelle and Derrida, Derrida, Oliver (either), Toadvine, and da Silva.

May 5. Paper 3 presentations in groups of 8-9

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