(in Polish) Cultural Communication of modern Times. Challenges and prospects

The goal of this course is to broaden understanding of the cultural interconnectedness of the contemporary world. The focus will be on the challenges associated with some of the major cultural discourses that have shaped and continue to shape the image of modernity, both affirmative and tragic, but which have influenced the image of the modern world.

The modern world is a world of interconnectedness and a series of consequences. This course will examine a number of processes that influence contemporary identification, understanding of the world, and the processes that have led to the world in which we live today. The cultural communication of these processes and their broader understanding within historical, cultural and social processes is an important element in the construction of the identity of contemporary man. This course, introduced in an accessible way in the form of a seminar, will allow for a common discussion of a number of processes influencing the image of cultural communication in our times.

From a historical and sociological perspective I want to look at the formation of the foundations of contemporary European and national identities. An important discourse in this sense is that on war and genocide, especially in the twentieth century. This is because the consequences of the Second World War were a very important factor influencing the post-war image of Europe and the beginning of integration processes. Also important in the historical context is the topic of historical memory as well as the discussion of the mechanisms of creating a cultural canon and its functions.

In the modernization discourses related to cultural communication, an important place is occupied by the transformation of the public sphere in the digital age. Therefore, I devote a separate block of classes to the issue of the virtual revolution and its social, political and cultural consequences. I also want to look at the discourses of conscious consumerism and popular culture and their complex interrelationships, trying to answer the question of what

can be done to combine the two into a coherent conglomerate.

Finally, it is also necessary to return to the criticism of the consumer society, and threats to civilization, especially the climate discourse, so these issues will be devoted to separate blocks of classes.

Author selected seven main topics for academic lecturing and following discussions.

Those are:

1. Europe and the future of the Nation State. - 2 classes

In particular:

-Cultural unity versus integration of EU

- Populism and the public sphere.

-Theoretical discourse based on further reading

2. Challenges of Migrations -2 classes

-Migration and future of Multiculturalism

-Future of Right wing movements in Europe

- Case study: Pegida and ritualization of the protests

-Theoretical discourse based on further reading

3. Difficulties in rebuilding of neutral cultural communication after wars/dictatorships, or state systemic transformations – cultural memory wars -2 classes

In particular:

-Race, ethnicity and ethnic conflict

-Transformation and what then?

-Recognition and types of Genocide

-Discussion on atrocities and its consequences

-Oral history and its methodological importance

-Human rights and their limits?

-Theoretical discourse based on further reading

4. Cultural discourse on Climate Change - 2 classes

In particular:

-Inconvenient truth and its importance for an environmental discourse

-Theoretical discourse based on further reading

5. Public Sphere in the World of the Cyber Age - 4 classes

- Habermasian Public sphere and its importance for analysis of virtual Revolution

- Internet as a chance for more honest world

- Internet as a challenge for state based knowledge creation and dissemination

- Big brother or discourse on privacy in Cyber age

- Internet and social cohesion

- Theoretical discourse based on further reading

6. Wars of cultural diplomacy: Soft Power as a means of new cultural influence

In particular - 1 or 2 classes

-History of Soft Power as a political tool in cultural communication

-European versus other SP.

-Future of Soft Power

-Theoretical discourse based on further reading

7. Consumerism versus citizenship in modern world -1 or 2 classes

In particular:

-Conspicuous consumption as a means of power

-Conspicuous consumption as a means of social irresponsibility

-Consumption as an expression of social hierarchy

-Consumer or/end citizen in the modern word

-Theoretical discourse based on further reading

1. Europe and the future of the Nation State. - 2 classes

In particular:

-Cultural unity versus integration of EU

- Populism and the public sphere.

-Theoretical discourse based on further reading

Readings:

Anthony Giddens, Turbulent and Mighty Continent: What Future for Europe?, Polity Press, 2014, Chapter 4: The Cosmopolitan Imperative, p:121 – 150.

Espen D. H. Olsen, Transnational Citisenship in European Union: Past, Present, and Future, Bloomsbery, 2013, Chapter 8 European Projects, Resilience of the “National”, and Citisenship in the EU, p:134-153.

Jurgen Habermas, Europe, Hungary and the Transnational Democracy Project [in] The Mind and Body of Europe a New Narrative, source: http://issuu.com/europanostra/docs/the-mind-and-body-of-europe, p:178-186.

Ernesto Laclau, On Populist Reason, Verso, London 2005; Chapter 1, Populism: Ambiguities and Paradoxess, p.3-20.

2. Challenges of Migrations -2 classes

-Migration and future of Multiculturalism

-Future of Right wing movements in Europe

- Case study: Pegida and ritualization of the protests

-Theoretical discourse based on further reading

Readings:

UN HCR Asylum Trends 2014, Publication Date, 26 March 2015, source: http://www.unhcr.org/551128679.html

Catherine Bell, Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice, Oxford University Press 1992, Chapter 4 Action and Practice, p: 69 – 93, also available on:

https://books.google.pl/books?id=hQQYXZeK0ksC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Catherine+Bell+Ritual+Theory,+Ritual+Practice&hl=pl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiogYairanKAhUiz3IKHR9aDOUQ6AEIHzAA#v=onepage&q=Catherine%20Bell%20Ritual%20Theory%2C%20Ritual%20Practice&f=false

Anton Pelinka, Chapter 1, Right -Wing Populism Concepts and Typology, p:5-21,

Britta Schellenberg, Chapter 10, Developments within the Radical Right in Germany; Discourses, Attitudes, Actors , p:149 – 161.

Right-Wing Populism in Europe Politics and discourse, Edited by Ruth Wodak, Majid KhosraviNik, Brigitte Mral, Blomsbery 2013,

available also on:

https://books.google.pl/books?id=Wrw8gC8vCnUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Right-Wing+Populism+in+Europe+Politics+and+discourse&hl=pl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiAxMTkrqnKAhUi73IKHU3jAyoQ6AEIHzAA#v=onepage&q=Right-Wing%20Populism%20in%20Europe%20Politics%20and%20discourse&f=false

Ted Cantle, Interculturalism The New Era of Cohesion and Diversity, Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. Chapter 4 The failure of Multiculturalism

Available olso on: https://books.google.pl/books?id=FS4hAQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Ted+Cantle+Interculturalism+The+New+Era+of+Cohesion+and+Diversity&hl=pl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwig2eSKsqnKAhVj7nIKHY-4DJ4Q6AEIHzAA#v=onepage&q=Ted%20Cantle%20Interculturalism%20The%20New%20Era%20of%20Cohesion%20and%20Diversity&f=false

Piotr Dejneka Pegida – Patriotic Europeans Against Islamisation of The West. Phenomena of a Rapid Grow, [in:] Pogranicza wielokulturowe w perspektywie współczesności, Wydawnictwo UKSW Warszawa 2016.

3. Difficulties in rebuilding of neutral cultural communication after wars/dictatorships, or state systemic transformations – cultural memory wars -2 classes

In particular:

-Race, ethnicity and ethnic conflict

-Transformation and what then?

-Recognition and types of Genocide

-Discussion on atrocities and its consequences

-Oral history and its methodological importance

-Human rights and their limits?

-Theoretical discourse based on further reading

Readings:

Fredric Barth, Enduring and Emerging Issues In the Analysis of Ethnicity [in:]

The Anthropology of Ethnicity. Beyound EthnicGroups and Boundaries, edited by; Hans Vermeulen, Cora Govers, Het Spinhuis, 1994, p: 11-31.

Also: https://books.google.pl/books?id=XJrHpuoEZ_0C&pg=PA11&dq=enduring+and+emerging+issues+in+the+analysis+of+Ethnicity&hl=pl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-lurZtanKAhUkp3IKHddvBx4Q6AEIHzAA#v=onepage&q=enduring%20and%20emerging%20issues%20in%20the%20analysis%20of%20Ethnicity&f=false

Wiktor Osiatyński, Human Rights and their limits, Cambridge University Press, 2009, Chapter 4 Rights and Cultures, p: 144 – 186

Helen Fein ,Genocide a Sociological Perspective, Sage Publications , 1993. Chapter 4 Contextual and Comparative Studies I : Ideological Genocides p :51- 78.

LynnTesser Ethnic Cleansing and the European Union. An Interdisciplinary Approach to Security, Memory and Ethnography , Palgrave Macmillan 2013, Chapter 3 The Regime of Ethnic Separation, p:35-51, and Chapter 4 Poland: Ethnic Separation in Extremis and EU Expansion, p:55-82

Orlando Figes, The Whisperers. Private Life in Stalin’s Russia, Picador 2008, Introduction p:XXVII – XXXVIII, and Afterword and Acknowledgments, p:657 – 665.

4. Cultural discourse on Climate Change - 2 classes

In particular:

-Inconvenient truth and its importance for an environmental discourse

-Theoretical discourse based on further reading

Readings and further materials:

John S. Dryzek, Richard B. Norgaard, and David Schlosberg, Climate-Challenged Society Oxford University Press 2013, Chapter 3 The Costs of Inaction and the limits of Economics, p: 38-55, and Chapter 7 The Anthropocene , p: 111 – 128

- All Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, 2006 ( movie)

5. Public Sphere in the World of the Cyber Age - 4 classes

- Habermasian Public sphere and its importance for analysis of virtual Revolution

- Internet as a chance for more honest world

- Internet as a challenge for state based knowledge creation and dissemination

- Big brother or discourse on privacy in Cyber age

- Internet and social cohesion

- Theoretical discourse based on further reading

Readings:

Vincent Miller Understanding Digital Culture, Sage Publications 2011, Chapters 4: Digital Inequality: Social, Political and Infrastructural context, p:95-110;Chapter 5: Everyone is Watching’: Privacy and Surveillance in Digital Life, p: 111-133; Chapter 6: Information, Politics, Subversion and Warfare, p:134-158, Chapter 8: Social Media and the Problem of Community: Space, Relationships, Networks, p: 184- 206

6. Wars of cultural diplomacy: Soft Power as a means of new cultural influence

In particular - 1 or 2 classes

-History of Soft Power as a political tool in cultural communication

-European versus other SP.

-Future of Soft Power

-Theoretical discourse based on further reading

Readings:

Joseph S. Nye Soft Power. The Means to Success in World Politics, Public Affairs 2004

Chapter 2 Sources of American Soft Power, p: 33 – 72 and Chapter 3 Others Soft Power, p: 73-98.

Joseph S. Nye The Future of Power, Public Affairs 2011, Part 1, Types of Power, p: 3 -109

7. Consumerism versus citizenship in modern world -1 or 2 classes

In particular:

-Conspicuous consumption as a means of power

-Conspicuous consumption as a means of social irresponsibility

-Consumption as an expression of social hierarchy

-Consumer or/end citizen in the modern word

-Theoretical discourse based on further reading

Readings:

Jean Baurdlillard, The Consumer Society, Myths and Structures, London, Sage Publications 1998, Chapter 6 Personalization or the Smallest Marginal Difference, p;87-98, also available on: http://cnqzu.com/library/Economics/marxian%20economics/Baudrillard,%20Jean-The%20Consumer%20Society.Myths%20and%20Structures.pdf

Naomi Clein, No Logo Chapter 1 New Brand World p: 5 - 26, and Chapter18 Beyond the Brand p: 421 -437.

S1A_W05

S2A_W05

Participation in classes - 30h

Preparation for classes - 20h

Consultations - 10h

Preparation of presentation- 30h

Each subject will be firstly provided as a lecture on the particular Issue, then further discussed in accordance with further readings allocated for presentations and obligatorily written by students. Lecturer allocated particular time line for particular Issues, (usually 2 academic classes) but in case of need for further discussion this would be prolonged sparingly.

All required readings are available in The Library of Humanities room 303 at Devaitis Campus New Building in the Folder called Challenges of Cultural Communication of Modern Times. Folder will be provided to use in place at student request by the librEach subject will be firstly provided as a lecture on the particular Issue, then further discussed in accordance with further readings allocated for presentations and obligatorily written by students. Lecturer allocated particular time line for particular Issues, (usually 2 academic classes) but in case of need for further discussion this would be prolonged sparingly.

All required readings will be sent via the moodle platform, or via UKSW mail.

Final grade based on triple factorial assessment :

1.Attendance( up to three absence are allowed)

2. Activity (constant assessment based on student activities during the spam of the course and academic knowledge of required readings.)

3. Delivery of presentation based on allocated reading

ary staff.

Final grade based on triple factorial assessment :

1.Attendance( up to three absence are allowed)

2. Activity (constant assessment based on student activities during the spam of the course and academic knowledge of required readings.)

3. Delivery of presentation based on allocated reading

n/a