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Department of Cultural Studies
AMERICAN STUDIES

The Celebration of Intellect: Ralph Waldo Emerson's Defense of the Humanities

Course Information

Nr. Name Type Time Room Lecturer
154665 The Celebration of Intellect: Ralph Waldo Emerson's Defense of the Humanities 2 HS Tu 16:00 - 17:30 R. 0.406 Grünzweig

Humanities and Cultural Studies are globally under pressure. As a parallel phenomenon, and probably not coincidentally, we are experiencing a world-wide attack on democratic structures and the democratic ethos at large. US philosopher, essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson has not only developed the notion of public intellectuals but also attempted to define their tasks in and for a democratic society.

This seminar will discuss key essays by Emerson dealing with the public intellectual in conjunction with Walt Whitman's critique and defense of democracy, his long essay DEMOCRATIC VISTAS (1871). The central goal of this seminar is the application of this radical US thinking to cultural and social criticism in the global 21st century.

A READER containing all texts is available at the Copy Shop "Stift und Papier", Campus Süd, Baroper Straße 337A.

Modules

Lehramtsstudiengänge

LABG G HRG/HRSGe GyGe/BK SP
2009 703, 704 602, 1001, 1002 602, 701, 702, 1002, 1003 703
2016 602, 703, 704 602, 1002, 1003 602, 701, 702, 1002, 1004 703

Angewandte Sprachwissenschaften &
Angewandte Literatur-/Kulturwissenschaften:

PO B.A.ALK B.A.AS M.A.ALK M.A.AS
PO ab WS 16/17 Kern: 6abc, 7bc, 8a
Komp: 3acd, 4ab
Kern: 6bc
Komp: 4a
1abc, 3bc, 4d 2ab
PO ab WS 21/22 Kern: 6abc, 7bc, 8a
Komp: 3acd, 4ab
Kern: 6bc
Komp: 4a
1abc, 3bc, 4c 2ab, 4b

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