Humanities Arts Cultural Stu 0149 - Marxism and Culture: Introduction to Critical Cultural Analysis

In this course, we will look at the influence of Marx and Marxism on the interpretation of culture and cultural texts (literature, visual art, digital art) in diverse historical and political contexts. Our primary focus will be on theories illuminating the relationships of specific genres or cultural forms to specific historical, political, and economic conditions. (How is the rise of the novel related to the rise of capitalism? How do contemporary (re)framings of art as labor (i.e., in participation, collaboration) extend or transform prior definitions of the art object as commodity/fetish? Approximately half of our readings will be historical, exploring arguments that emerge in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The other half will be hyper-contemporary and will bring us into dialogue with writers, artists, and thinkers interrogating the cultural logics of contemporary capitalism. This is an introductory course designed to introduce students to key critical and theoretical texts in both Marxist and cultural theory. Keywords: Marxism, literature, art, cultural studies.

Students in this course should expect to spend 8 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time.