RUSN 330 Truth, Trust, and Propaganda: Postmodern Theory and the Practice of Dissent
Do we live in the era of post-truth? Is everything just another piece of propaganda? Whom do we trust and why?
Postmodern theory offers us powerful resources to criticize and take down the houses of totalizing ideologies, but many of its most important conceptual tools have been co-opted and are now used to oppress. Postmodern propaganda corrodes the relationships of trust that connect us, and makes us feel isolated and powerless. It taps into our fears and phobias to destroy not only the reality around us, but also our humanity. The organized lies of the 21st century aim to confuse and disorient, but also (and this is where the greatest danger lies) make us cynical. Several philosophers and writers from Eastern and Central Europe, who had first-hand experience of Western European “demi-Orientalism,” Russia’s imperialism, and Soviet totalitarianism, offer an antidote to this postmodern condition.
In this course we will read French theorists, such as Deleuze and Derrida, and their counterparts from Eastern and Central Europe: Havel, Miłosz, Mamardashvili, Venclova, and others. Several other philosophers and writers—such as Plato, Arendt, Kundera, Orwell, Klemperer, and Platonov—will help us think about truth, trust, and propaganda.
This course will meet twice a week with CSLC 130, and for one additional 85 minute session per week to develop Russian students’ language skills. Students will have an opportunity to translate and discuss selections from texts in the original Russian, such as Mamardashvili’s essays and Platonov’s stories.
Students in this course are required to complete a 10-12 page interpretive paper, one that incorporates the students' own translations of original texts. A passing grade of C or higher on this paper will satisfy the Second Stage writing requirement.