Theories of Modernity 2 2007
Essay Due: Tues 23rd Oct
All essays are due 23rd Oct. Late essays will be accepted up to 5th without excuse, but marks will be deducted. Essays will only be accepted after 5th Nov if a satisfactory excuse is submitted. The only satisfactory excuses are illness or misadventure. Pressure of other work, or computer equipment failure, does not normally count as misadventure. For further information contact the course-giver. Work must be submitted to the Sophi office, in person, with the proper cover sheet attached. The office is open from 9.30 am until 5.00 pm Mon to Fri.
Reading
There is a huge literature to these topics and you may find other useful studies. Secondary reading is not intended to be a substitute for reading the primary texts. Evidence of primary reading is essential. A good answer also presupposes an attempt at critical engagement either with the author or his interpreters or both.
Questions: Chose one question (2, 500 words)
1. Weber speaks of modernity as a new polytheistic age of warring gods. What does he mean and what is his attitude to this predicament? How does this “new polytheism” differ from that of the past? Does he offer us a solution and is it viable?
Readings
Weber, M. 'Politics as a Vocation' and 'Science as a Vocation' From Max Weber Routledge &Kegan Paul, London, 1948
Kalberg, S. Max Weber: Reading and Commentary on Modernity Blackwell, 2005
Scaff, L A. Fleeing The Iron Cage University of California Press, 1989, Ch 3
Habermas, J. Theory of Communicative Action Vol 1 Heinemann, London, 1984 Ch 2
Brubaker, R. The Limits of Rationality Allen & Unwin, London, Chapters1, 3, 4
Turner, C. Modernity and Politics in the Work of Max Weber Routledge, 1992
Bendix, R.&Roth, G. Scholarship and Partisanship University of California Press, Berkeley, 1971, Part A Ch 5
Schluchter,W. The Paradoxes of Modernity Stanford University Press, 1996 Section 1 Truth, Power and Ethics
Eden, R. Political Leadership and Nihilism University Press Florida, 1983 Ch 2, 5, 6
Goldmann, H. Max Weber and Thomas Mann University of California Press, 1988 part 2 Ch 4
Goldmann, H. Politics, Death and the Devil University of California Press, 1992, Ch 2, 3, 6
Kontos, A. ‘The World Disenchanted, and the Return of Gods and Demons’ in The Barbarism of Reason: Max Weber and the Twilight of Enlightenment (Ed) Horowitz, A. & Maley, T, University of Toronto Press, 1994, pp 223/247
2. Explain what Horkheimer and Adorno mean by ‘dialectic of enlightenment’? What is the relationship between this idea and that of the ‘totally administered society’ and what are the consequences for the idea of a critical theory of society today? (Students doing PHIL 2644 Critical Theory cannot do this question and Question 7 on the Critical Theory Essay list)
Reading
Adorno, T W. & Horkheimer, M. 'The Concept of Enlightenment' and Excursus 1&11 from Dialectic of Enlightenment Stanford University Press, 2002
Jay, M. The Dialectical Imagination Heinemann, London, 1973, Ch 8
Held. D. Introduction to Critical Theory Hutchinson, London, 1980, Ch 5
Honneth, A, The Critique of Power M I T Press, 1991, Ch 2
Dubiel, H. Theory and Politics M I T Press, 1985, pp 69-113
Wiggerhaus, R. The Frankfurt School M I T Press, 1994 pp 326-350
Rabinbach, A. In the Shadow of Catastrophe: German Intellectuals Between Apocalypse and Enlightenment University of California Press, Berkeley, 1997, Part 1, Ch 1, Part 2, Ch 5
Bronner, S E. Of Critical Theory and Its Theorists Blackwell, 1994, Ch 5, 9
Bronner, S.E. Reclaiming the Enlightenment Columbia University Press, 2004. Ch 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9
Habermas, J. Theory of Communicative Action Vol 1 Heinemann, London, 1984, Ch 4 Part 2 pp 366-403
3. Elaborate Foucault's image of the "carceral society"? What is the critical burden of this image? Is his standpoint the same as Adorno and Horkheimer’s? Did Foucault intend this as a diagnosis of the present?
Reading
Foucault, M. Discipline and Punish,Allen Lane, London, 1977
Foucault, M. “Society Must be Defended” Lectures at the College De France 1975-1976 Picador, New York, 2003
Klitzman, L D. (Ed) Michel Foucault: Politics, Philosophy, Culture; Interviews and Other Writings 1977/1984 Routledge, 1988
Arato, A.& Cohen, J L. Civil Society and Political Theory M I T Press, 1992
Bernauer, J. Michel Foucault' s Force of Flight Humanities Press, New Jersey, Ch 5
Han, B. Foucault’s Critical Project Stanford, CA, Stanford University Press, 2002, Part 1 Ch 1, Part 2
Oksala, J Foucault on Freedom Cambridge University Press, 2005, Part 2
Dumm, T. Michel Foucault and the Politics of Freedom Sage, 1996, Ch 3, 4
Merquior J G Foucault California University Press, 1985, Ch 7-10
Racevskis, K. Michel Foucault and the Subversion of the Intellect Cornell 1983, Cha 6-10
Honneth, A. Critique of Power MIT Press, 1991, Ch 5,6
Morris, M & Patton, P. (eds) Michel Foucault: Power, Truth, Strategy Feral Publications, Sydney, Part 2, pp109-145
Rajchman, J. Foucault: The Freedom of Philosophy Columbia University Press, 1985
4. Habermas speaks of modernity as an "incomplete project". What is distinctive about this understanding and does it meet the sort of objections often raised against modernity?
Reading
Habermas. J. ‘Modernity versus Postmodernity’ New German Critique No 22 (included in Reader)
Habermas, J. ‘The Normative Content of Modernity’ from The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity Polity, 1987, pp336-367
Habermas, J. ‘Conceptions of Modernity’ in The Postnational Constellation Polity, 2001 Ch 6.
Rengger, N J. Political Theory, Modernity and Postmodernity Blackwell, 1995, Part 1
Chambers, S. Reasonable Democracy Cornell Uni Press, 1996, Chapter 9
Holub, R C. Jürgen Habermas: Critic in the Public Sphere Routledge, 1991, Ch 6
Best, S. The Politics of Historical Vision Guildford Press, New York, 1995, Ch 3
Giddens, A. ‘ Modernism and Postmodernism’ New German Critique No 22, pp15/18
Arato, A. & Cohen, J. Civil Society and Political Theory MIT, 1992, pp210/254
White, S. The Recent Work of Jürgen Habermas Cambridge, 1988, Ch 5&6
White, S. (Ed) Cambridge Companion to Habermas Cambridge, 1996 Part V
Honneth, A. Critique of Power MIT1991, Ch 9
Passerin d'Entreves, M. & Benhabib, S. (ed) Habermas and the Unfinished Project of Modernity MIT, 1997, Ch 2, 5, 9
5. Critically analyze Weber's account of democracy and its potential. Do you think it has much to offer us today?
Readings
Weber M, ‘Politics as a Vocation’ (in Reader)
Weber, M. Economy and Society University of California Press, 1978, Vol 1 Ch 3 and pp 1339-1368, Vol 2 Appendix 2 pp 1381- 1461
Breiner, P. Max Weber and Democratic Politics Cornell University Press, Ch 4, 5, 6.
Mommsen W J Max Weber and German Politics 1890-1920 University of Chicago Press, 1984, Chapters 9,10
Mommsen,W. The Age of Bureaucracy Blackwell, Oxford,1974, Ch4
Wrong D (Ed) Max Weber Prentice-Hall, New Jersey, 1970, Ch 11
Eden R, Political Leadership and Nihilism University Press, Florida, 1983 Ch 2, 5, 6
Horowitz A & Maley T. (EdThe Barbarism of Reason: Max Weber and the Twilight of Enlightenment University of Toronto, 1994 Part 1 Ch 3, 4 Part 2 Ch 5, 6
Beetham D, Max Weber and the Theory of Modern Politics Allen &Unwin, London, 1974, Ch 4, 8
Struve W, Elites Against Democracy: Leadership Ideals in Bourgeois Political Thought in Germany 1890-1933 Princeton University Press, New Jersey, 1973, Ch 4
6. Compare and contrast the use made by Nietzsche and Weber of the critique of asceticism? (This question is really only suitable for those who did Nietzsche is Semester 1)
Readings
Nietzsche, F. The Genealogy of Morals, Anchor, New York, 1956
Weber, M. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism Unwin, London, 1974
Owen, D. Maturity and Modernity: Nietzsche: Weber, Foucault and the Ambivalence of Reason Routledge, 1994, Chapters 3,6, 8
Eden R, Political Leadership and Nihilism Uni of Florida Press, 1983 Ch 2, 3, 4, 5,
Turner, C. Modernity and Politics in the Work of Max Weber Routledge, 1992
Goldmann, H. Max Weber and Thomas Mann University of California Press 1988 Part 2 Chapter 4
Goldman, H. Politics, Death and the Devil University of California Press 1992, Chapters 2, 3, 6
Horowitz, A. & Maley, T. (Ed) The Barbarism of Reason: Max Weber and the Twilight of Enlightenment University of Toronto Press, 1994 Part 1 Ch 4, Part 3, Ch 9
Hollingdale, R. J Nietzsche Routledge &Kegan Paul, London, Ch 6
Danto, A C. Nietzsche as Philosopher MacMillan, London, Ch 5
Schacht, R. Nietzsche Routledge & Kegan Paul, London, Ch 2, 4, 5, 6
Ackermann, R J. Nietzsche: A Frenzied Look University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 1990, Ch 6
Mahon M, Foucault's Nietzschean Genealogy State University of New York Press, 1992, Ch 6
Baker, R. The Limits of Rationality Allen & Unwin, London, 1984 pp22-29
Wrong, D. (Ed), Max Weber Prentice-Hall, New Jersey, 1970 Part 3
Marshall, G. In Search of the Spirit of Capitalism Huchinson, London, 1982
Goldmann, H. Max Weber and Thomas Mann University of California Press, 1988, Ch 1, 4
