The concept of 'the human', providing the core of the enlightenment project of humanism, has become increasingly questionable in the wake of recent biological research and the development of artificial intelligence. What is it that remains of 'the human' if this category can no longer be sustained against those constructed as its 'other', most notably, animals and machines? What about the line drawn between nature and culture in times marked by the arrival of cyborgs in the anthropocene? What are the political implications of emerging transhumanist and transspecies perspectives? How are these trends represented in culture? In other words, what are the challenges for Cultural Studies? This course aims to explore the field of posthuman studies, looking at key theoretical texts and studying posthuman figurations across the media, including robots, cyborgs, aliens, superheroes and zombies. Participants are welcome to suggest their own topics during the first session.
- Trainer DS: Harald Pittel