The Modern and the Postmodern (Part 2)

Wesleyan University

About this Course

15,896 recent views

This course examines how the idea of "the modern" develops at the end of the 18th century in European philosophy and literature, and how being modern (or progressive, or hip) became one of the crucial criteria for understanding and evaluating cultural change. Are we still in modernity, or have we moved beyond the modern to the postmodern?

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, English, Spanish

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.88/5 (17 Ratings)

Michael S. Roth

127,769 Learners

3 Courses

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Approx. 14 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, English, Spanish

Offered by

Wesleyan University

Wesleyan University, founded in 1831, is a diverse, energetic liberal arts community where critical thinking and practical idealism go hand in hand. With our distinctive scholar-teacher culture, creative programming, and commitment to interdisciplinary learning, Wesleyan challenges students to explore new ideas and change the world. Our graduates go on to lead and innovate in a wide variety of industries, including government, business, entertainment, and science.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating96%(1,899 ratings)

Week

Week 1

20 minutes to complete

Course Pages

20 minutes to complete

2 readings

2 readings

Syllabus10m

Course Logistics10m

Week

Week 2

1 hour to complete

Intensity and the Ordinary: Sex, Death, Aggression and Guilt

With a focus on Civilization and its Discontents, we examine how Freud’s theories tried to expose profound instincts as they appeared in daily life.

1 hour to complete

4 videos (Total 49 min), 1 reading

4 videos

Intensity and the Ordinary: Sex, Death, Aggression and Guilt I13m

Intensity and the Ordinary: Sex, Death, Aggression and Guilt II13m

Intensity and the Ordinary: Sex, Death, Aggression and Guilt III13m

Intensity and the Ordinary: Sex, Death, Aggression and Guilt IV9m

1 reading

Intensity and the Ordinary: Sex, Death, Aggression and Guilt--Freud10m

Week

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Intensity and the Ordinary: Art, Loss, Forgiveness

A reading of Virginia Woolf’s modernist novel To the Lighthouse shows how giving up the search for the “really real” can liberate one to attend to the everyday.

2 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 57 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

4 videos

Intensity and the Ordinary: Art, Loss, Forgiveness I15m

Intensity and the Ordinary: Art, Loss, Forgiveness II12m

Intensity and the Ordinary: Art, Loss, Forgiveness III14m

Intensity and the Ordinary: Art, Loss, Forgiveness IV14m

1 reading

Intensity and the Ordinary: Art, Loss, Forgiveness--Woolf10m

Week

Week 4

2 hours to complete

The Postmodern Everyday

We go back to Ralph Waldo Emerson and forward to Ludwig Wittgenstein to consider how forms of life and language games need to foundation to be compelling.

2 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 54 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

4 videos

The Postmodern Everyday I11m

The Postmodern Everyday II13m

The Postmodern Everyday III16m

The Postmodern Everyday IV12m

1 reading

The Postmodern Everyday--Emerson and Wittgenstein10m

Week

Week 5

2 hours to complete

From Critical Theory to Postmodernism

Through a consideration of Max Horkheimer & Theodor Adorno along with Michel Foucault, we confront the philosophical effort to escape from totality in order to understand the politics of control.

2 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 58 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

4 videos

From Critical Theory to Postmodernism I13m

From Critical Theory to Postmodernism II13m

From Critical Theory to Postmodernism III16m

From Critical Theory to Postmodernism IV13m

1 reading

From Critical Theory to Postmodernism10m

Week

Week 6

1 hour to complete

Paintings II

A very brief consideration of how artists are responding to the loss of foundations to produce work that redefines art.

1 hour to complete

2 videos (Total 36 min)

2 videos

Paintings II, Part I16m

Paintings II, Part II19m

Week

Week 7

2 hours to complete

Postmodern Identities

We examine short pieces by Judith Butler and Slavjo Zizek to understand how identities get formed (and performed) in a world without foundations.

2 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 58 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

4 videos

Postmodern Identities I12m

Postmodern Identities II12m

Postmodern Identities III14m

Postmodern Identities IV18m

1 reading

Postmodern Identities--Butler and Zizek10m

Week

Week 8

1 hour to complete

Late-term Review

Review of all the thinkers we have studied in Parts I and II of the class, along with some complementary material.

1 hour to complete

4 videos (Total 46 min)

4 videos

Late-term Review I12m

Late-term Review II11m

Late-term Review III12m

Late-term Review IV10m

Week

Week 9

2 hours to complete

Postmodern Pragmatisms

After postmodern playfulness, or alongside it, we see the resurgence of the pragmatic impulse to return philosophy to real human problems.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 56 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

3 videos

Postmodern Pragmatisms I15m

Postmodern Pragmatisms II18m

Postmodern Pragmatisms III22m

1 reading

Postmodern Pragmatisms10m

1 hour to complete

Extra (Optional) Writing Assignment

1 hour to complete

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You’ll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. Learn more.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

The Modern and the Postmodern (Part 2)

The Modern and the Postmodern (Part 2)