CS301-6-SP-CO:
Dangerous Ideas: Manifestos as Social Criticism
2020/21
Interdisciplinary Studies Centre (ISC)
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Sunday 17 January 2021
Friday 26 March 2021
15
14 May 2020
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
CS305
(none)
BA T700 American Studies (United States),
BA T7P3 American Studies (United States) with Film,
BA MT2R Criminology and American Studies
This module examines the social criticism and subversiveness of writing in the form of the manifesto. Although its antecedents can be traced back to the sixteenth century, the manifesto crystallised as a genre in the nineteenth century. Since then manifestos have been issued by all manner of organisations, from political parties, to artistic movements and rock bands. Manifestos typically denounce dominant trends and/ or accepted conventions, question the grounds of prevailing, ideas, behaviours and practices, and involve a call and/or a programme for action. But as you will see from the selected texts, there is a tremendous variation in the forms and styles of manifestos. Some follow the canonical form embodied in Marx and Engels' 'Communist Manifesto'. Some carry the title manifesto, but more closely resemble essays; others are not explicitly framed as manifestos, but have operated as such once they started to circulate.
Manifestos often share with many Enlightenment projects the idea that we need to make a radical break and start afresh in order to build a better world, and a confidence that human action can bring about far-reaching change. Yet beyond this utopian grounding, as we will see, the relationship with Enlightenment ideas and principles is complex and varied. Some texts denounce the incompleteness of the Revolution led by the rationalist values of the Enlightenment, explore its contradictions and black holes, and call for a more radical leap. Some texts challenge Enlightenment legacies while others call for a return to what they imagine those values to be.
The readings examined on the module are primarily chosen on the basis of their historical impact, current relevance and at the same time selected as models for good writing. It is hoped that a consideration of how ideas are powerfully and succinctly communicated will encourage students to experiment, and, thus, broaden the approach of those essays produced by the students who follow the module.
The aims of this module are:
To provide students with a ground in the history of the manifesto
To explore issues related to the selected manifestos and to be able to relate those issues to the politics, social contexts and ideological debates of their times, and subsequently
To stimulate students to develop skills in written communication through manifesto writing, and through oral communication and debate in seminars
To encourage students to think and write in both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary ways
By the end of this module the student should:
be able to demonstrate a familiarity with, and an understanding of the material considered on the module, specifically the history of the manifesto;
be able to draw connections between a diverse range of written forms produced in different historical periods;
be able to distinguish critically between different methodological and disciplinary approaches to the issues in question;
be able to write in an informed, critical and argumentative manner on the material covered by the module.
By the end of this module the student should also have acquired a set of transferable skills, and in particular be able to:
define the task in which they are engaged and exclude what is irrelevant;
seek and organise the most relevant discussions and sources of information;
process a large volume of diverse and sometimes conflicting arguments;
compare and evaluate different arguments and assess the limitations of their own position or procedure;
write and present verbally a succinct and precise account of positions, arguments, and their presuppositions and implications;
be sensitive to the positions of others and communicate their own views in ways that are accessible to them;
think 'laterally' and creatively (i.e., to explore interesting connections and possibilities, and to present these clearly rather than as vague hunches);
maintain intellectual flexibility and revise their own position based on feedback; think critically and constructively.
To prepare for this module, suggested introductory reading:
Nussbaum, Martha C. (2010) Not for profit: Why democracy needs the humanities. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press
There will be a one hour lecture and one-hour class/seminar each week. All teaching events will be accessible to students on and off campus either face-to-face or remotely through online teaching. Week 21 is Reading Week.
- Friedman, Milton; Friedman, Rose. (1980) Free to Choose, London: Penguin Books Ltd.
- Breanne Fahs. (2008) 'The Radical Possibilities of Valerie Solanas', in Feminist Studies. vol. 34 (3, The 1970s Issue) , pp.591-617
- Henry David Thoreau. (2016) Civil Disobedience: Broadview Press, 2016.
- Marinetti, F. T. (2009) 'Founding and manifesto of futurism 1909', in Futurist manifestos, London: Tate.
- Joselit, David. (2016) '1909', in Art since 1900: modernism, antimodernism, postmodernism, London: Thames and Hudson.
- Montaigne, Michel. (1993) 'Of the Cannibals [1588]', in Complete Essays, London: Penguin Books Ltd.
- Berger, John. (1992) 'Ape theatre', in Keeping a rendezvous, London: Granta Books.
- (no date) Free to Choose: Part 1 of 10 The Power of the Market (Featuring Milton Friedman) - YouTube.
- Otto Wagner. (1988) Modern architecture: a guidebook for his students to this field of art, Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
- Orwell, George. (1994) 'Politics and the English language', in The Penguin essays of George Orwell, New York: Penguin. vol. Penguin twentieth-century classics
- Oscar Wilde. (2001) 'The Soul of Man under Socialism', in Soul Of Man Under Socialism And Selected Critical Prose, London: Penguin Books Ltd., pp.125-162
- Solanas, Valerie; Ronell, Avital. (2015) SCUM manifesto, London: Verso.
- Tom Hodgkinson. (2005) How to be idle, London: Penguin.
- Weeds Are Us « Michael Pollan, https://michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/weeds-are-us/
- Aimé Césaire; Robin D. G. Kelley. (2000) Discourse on colonialism, New York: Monthly Review Press.
- Orwell, George. (2000) 'Appendix: the principles of newspeak', in Nineteen eighty-four, London: Penguin. vol. Modern classics
- Marx, Karl; Engels, Friedrich; Stedman Jones, Gareth. (2002) The communist manifesto, London: Penguin Books. vol. Penguin classics
- John Hayward. (1934, reprinted 1939) 'A modest proposal', in Gulliver's travels and selected writings in prose & verse, London: Random House.
- Manifesto of the Communist Party, https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/
- Kincaid, Jamaica. (1997) A small place, London: Vintage.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course. The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students. Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Assignment 1 (Spring) (3500 words) |
|
100% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Lorna Finlayson, email: ljfinl@essex.ac.uk.
A range of staff will contribute to the module.
Interdisciplinary Studies Centre General Office - 6.130; Email: istudies@essex.ac.uk.
Yes
Yes
No
Dr Ross Wilson
University of Nottingham
Director of Liberal Arts
Available via Moodle
Of 1473 hours, 0 (0%) hours available to students:
1473 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
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