Post-Foundational Discourse Theory in Humanities and Social Science Research
8 August–24 August, University of Helsinki, Finland
Application deadline: 31 July, 2017
In these turbulent times, it is important to focus on the founding processes and foundations of our social and political existence. Many structures, identities and ideas we have taken for granted, from democracy and equality to the very idea of truth itself, have become contested. Through theoretical discussions and empirical examples, this course explores the ways in which post-foundational thought can be of use in the social sciences and humanities to tackle such phenomena.
A focus on discourse and meaning-making is a contemporary megatrend within the social sciences and humanities. Within this larger trend, post-foundational discourse theory forms a critical framework through which to understand the political and contested nature of various phenomena. By shifting the focus from taking political, economic and social concepts at their face value to the ways in which meaning-making always takes place through contingent concepts, discourses and structures we inhabit, post-foundational discourse theory will provide the students a distinct and a productive perspective from which to approach their topics of interest. The course discusses different approaches to post-foundationalism and allows students to develop their own perspective within this emerging field.
The course is intended for students of diverse backgrounds from last year BA students to postdocs.
Guest speakers and teachers for the course include:
- Mark Devenney, University of Brighton
- Charlotte Fridolfsson, Linköping University
- Jenny Gunnarson Payne, Södertörn University
- Oliver Marchart, University of Vienna
- Thomas Marttila, LMU Munich
- Kari Palonen, University of Jyväskylä
Lectures include:
· Post-Foundationalism, Oliver Marchart
· Post-Foundational Discourse Analysis, Tomas Marttila
· Discourse theory and deconstruction in political analysis, Charlotte Fridolfsson
· Affect, discourse and political mobilisation from an ethnographic approach, Jenny Gunnarson Payne
· Post-Marxism and Economy, Mark Devenney
· Max Weber and Contingency, Kari Palonen
· Post-foundationalism in Laclau and Oakeshott, Halil Gürhanli
· Foundations of post-foundationalism: rhetoric, deconstruction and psychoanalysis, Emilia Palonen
· Populism and post-foundationalism, Halil Gürhanli
· Radical democracy and what next? Emilia Palonen
· Debate: 1) Brexit, Trump, and left-wing populism
· 2) The whys and whats of post-foundationalism?
For more information and to apply, go to: https://apply.helsinkisummerschool.fi/courses/course/113-postfoundational-discourse-theory-humanities-and-social-science-research?search=24880
Coordinators
Emilia Palonen (responsible teacher), emilia.palonen@helsinki.fi
Taavi Sundell (coordinator), taavi.sundell@helsinki.fi
You may contact the course coordinators with questions concerning the course content.
With any other questions concerning Helsinki Summer Schoool or the application process, please contactsummer-school@helsinki.fi.
Follow the course insights on twitter #HSSpofo17
