PhD Course - Representation across Fields
Organizers:
Espen Aarseth, Professor of Game Studies, Head of the Center for Computer Games Research, The IT University of Copenhagen
Ida Kathrine Hammeleff Jørgensen, PhD fellow, Center for Computer Games Research, The IT University of Copenhagen
Lecturers:
Dr. Bart Cammaerts, Associate Professor, Department of Media and Communications, The London School of Economics and Political Science.
Dr. Pawel Grabraczyk, Center for Computer Games Research, The IT University of Copenhagen.
Dr. Catharine Abell, Philosophy, School of Social Sciences, The University of Manchester.
Jørgen Bruhn, Professor, Departement of Film and Literature, Linnæus University.
Dates of the Course:
17th-20th of September 2018
Course Description:
Representation is a term with multiple meanings and a topic studied in as different fields as art studies and social science. Mitchell (1990) describes representation as being of something or someone, by something or someone to someone. However, if we take a step deeper into what this imply in practical applications of the term in different academic fields, traditions and situations, we find a much more complex picture. In political theory and social sciences representation can stand for the practice of speaking or acting on behalf of someone; In cultural studies it often refers to the ways in meanings are constructed within a cultural setting; in the studies of aesthetics and the arts, representation can stand for putting something into artistic form; in philosophy of mind it may stand for the ideas or concepts of things that we have in our heads, and finally, in semiotic theory representation refers to the ways in which we interpret a phenomena as a sign of something. These various conceptions put different emphasis the role of representation and represented and each bring with them a number of unique issues and questions.
While these diverse conceptions of representation live and thrive independently in different fields, this course takes as a starting point that there is something to gain by bringing them together. The course will therefore invite scholars from different fields and disciplines to present key issues of representation.
Intended Learning Outcomes:
- Students should be able to discuss and compare conceptions of representation from various theoretical perspectives.
- Students should be able to identify the issues and questions pertaining to these various perspectives
- Students should be able to reflect on and discuss the ways in which representation relates to their own research project.
Programme
Day 1
09.00-10.00: Coffee
10.00-10.45: Opening Words by Espen Aarseth + round of introduction.
10.45-11.00: Small break
11.00-12.00: Lecture
12.00-13.00: Lunch break and coffee
13.00-14.00: Reading session on representation in philosophy of mind
14.00-14.10: Coffee break
14.10-15.00: Session 1- student presentations (20 minutes each + 5 minute QA)
Day 2:
09.00-10.00: Coffee
10.00-11.00: Lecture
11.00-12.00: Reading session on representation in cultural studies
12.00-13.00: Lunch Break and coffee.
13.00-13.50: Session 2 – student presentations (20 minutes each + 5 minute QA)
13.50-14.00: Coffee break
14.00-14.50: Session 3 – student presentations (20 minutes each + 5 minute QA)
Day 3:
09.00-10.00: Coffee
10.00-11.00: Lecture
11.00-12.00: Reading session on representational arts
12.00-13.00: Lunch Break and coffee.
13.00-13.50: Session 4 – student presentations (20 minutes each + 5 minute QA)
13.50-14.00: Coffee break
14.00-14.50: Session 5 – student presentations (20 minutes each + 5 minute QA)
Day 4:
09.00-10.00: Coffee
10.00-11.00: Lecture
11.00-12.00: Reading session on representation in political theory
12.00-13.00: Lunch Break and coffee.
13.00-14.00: Session 6 – student presentations (20 minutes each + QA)
14.00-15.00: Closing remarks and evaluation.
Prerequisites:
Before the course, students should prepare a 20-minute presentation addressing issues of representation in their projects. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the course literature that will be distributed to participants before the course.
Exam:
Participation with presentation
Credits:
4 ECTS for participation with paper presentation
Amount of hours the student is expected to use on the course:
Participation: 24
Preparation: 88
Partcipants:
Maximum 12 PhD students
How to sign up:
To participate students should send a 250-word abstract to ihjo@itu.dk no later than 1st of August 2018.