PHIL 217 - Stuart Hall and Paul Gilroy: Cultural Studies Between Media Theory and Philosophy

Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)

(Same as AFRS 217, ANAS 217, and MEDS 217) This course is dedicated to exploring the theoretical approach developed by the Birmingham School of Cultural Studies. Its core is a close-reading of selected works by its two most impactful voices: Stuart Hall and Paul Gilroy. A foundational methodology for many interrelated fields – from postcolonial studies to media theory, from sociology to critical race studies – cultural studies seek to understand how meaning is produced by culturally hegemonic social and media formations, which have the power to shape both agencies and counter-agencies. We trace the history of the Birmingham school from the late 1970s, when it was born as a response to the neoliberal agenda of the Thatcher government, through the War on Terror, the pandemic, until today. While focusing on the development of Hall and Gilroy as scholars of Black Atlantic diasporic constellations, we also look back at their critical sources, especially their transformation of the Marxist legacies of Antonio Gramsci and Louis Lefevre, and forward at their ongoing worldwide impact, especially in South Africa and Latin America. Giovanna Borradori.

First six-week course.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS