Theorizing the Role of Affect in Society and Culture

1 Course Unit

Affect has held a prominent place in social theory, including the role of fear in Hobbes's formulation of the origins of civil society, respect (for the sacred) in Durkheim's theory of religion, and guilt in Freud's understanding of civilization. Can such formulations be brought into conversation with the biological understandings of human beings from Darwin up to recent developments in affective neuroscience? This reading and discussion-based seminar focuses on such questions. We explore the terrain of social, cultural, and psychoanalytic theory in light of conceptualizations growing out of the biological side of anthropology. We trace social and cultural theorization through the twentieth developments, including A.R. Radcliffe-Brown on joking and lamentation, Frantz Fanon on hate and guilt in race relations, Clifford Geertz on long-lasting moods and motivations, and others. We also explore twenty-first century developments in affect theory within anthropology and adjacent disciplines, including works by Lauren Berlant and Kathleen Stewart. During the course of the semester, students will write short reading response papers, and lead class discussions based on their responses. They will also work on and submit a final term paper based on their exploration of some aspect of the literature in which they are especially interested. Not Offered Every Year 1 Course Unit