tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65095602934229685012011-08-30T10:41:40.843-04:00Minutes and more from the Yale English Department Using Theory Lunch SeriesColin Gillishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11619689476961508136noreply@blogger.comBlogger331100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-49782101414968597642009-05-06T17:26:00.008-04:002009-05-27T10:32:08.544-04:00

Using Theory PresentsMetaprofessional Milk and Cookies IIMonday, May 11 at 12:30 p.m. in LC 319Milk, cookies, and despair providedReading packets in LC 108We will be using two texts as spurs to our discussion of all things related to the profession:Marc Bousquet, "The Waste Product of Graduate Education," from ch. 1 of How the University Works (downloadable here) (New York: NYU Press, 2008), 21-

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-86296693010414926592009-04-17T10:56:00.007-04:002009-04-21T09:24:25.769-04:00

Catherine FlynnusesWalter BenjaminThe Arcades Project"Paris, Capital of the 19th Century" (1935)"Paris, Capital of the 19th Century" (1939)Thursday, April 2312:30 p.m. in LC 319*Reading packets in LC 108Saltines and ginger ale providedCatherine Flynn G7 (Comp Lit) will lead our discussion of Benjamin's two "Exposés" to his Arcades Project next Thursday.*The meeting will take place in LC 319, not

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-1822662799294923162009-04-16T08:41:00.005-04:002009-04-28T11:04:53.187-04:00

On April 8, 2009, we met to discuss theoretical work on visual media by Lev Manovich and Carol Armstrong. Emily Setina G6 led our discussion of Manovich's "From the Externalization of the Psyche to the Implantation of Technology" and The Language of New Media and Armstrong's Scenes in a Library: Reading the Photograph in the Book, 1843-1875. Many thanks to Emily for running the session, and to

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-57615480900290801172009-04-06T10:41:00.017-04:002009-04-07T08:25:22.165-04:00

EMILY SETINAusesLev ManovichThe Language of New Media (excerpts)"From the Externalization of the Psyche to the Implantation of Technology"Carol ArmstrongScenes in a LibraryWednesday, April 812:30 p.m.--LC 208Reading packets in department loungeGinger ale and saltines provided

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-73524230720733441652009-03-25T11:16:00.005-04:002009-03-25T11:35:07.102-04:00

We announce with great pleasure our very first Using Theory Special Guest Lecture, to take place next Monday afternoon:Brent Hayes EdwardsProfessor of English and Comparative LiteratureColumbia UniversityAuthor of The Practice of DiasporaCo-Editor of Social TextZoningMary Lou WilliamsZoningMonday, March 304 p.m. in LC 317

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-65045429828020178492009-02-19T09:37:00.013-05:002009-02-26T12:35:27.300-05:00

ProfessorCatherine NicholsonUses Old Theory:George Puttenham'sArt of English PoesyWednesday, February 25, 200912:30 p.m.--LC 208Reading packets in LC 108Ginger ale and saltines providedThe packet is a modernized critical edition of Puttenham's text. Scans of the original 1589 edition are available on EEBO through this link [must be on Yale network]. We are reading Book 1, chapters 1-6, 9-10, 30-

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-41689452724783299272009-01-15T15:10:00.002-05:002009-01-15T15:14:54.324-05:00

On Tuesday, December 2, we met to discuss excerpts from Georg Lukács' Theory of the Novel and The Historical Novel. Many thanks to Professor Ala Alryyes for leading our discussion, and to Glyn Salton-Cox for taking minutes! Participants should e-mail AG or CG if something has been lost in the passage from live voice to HTML. And all are welcome to comment. Follow the link to the full post for the

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-56385725526712274372008-11-28T09:22:00.004-05:002008-11-28T09:34:55.855-05:00

Professor Ala AlryyesusesGeorg LukácsTheory of the NovelThe Historical NovelTuesday, December 2, 200812:30 p.m. in LC 209Ginger ale and saltines providedReading packets in LC 108or e-mail CG or AG for an electronic copy of the readings. Or, if you own Lukács' The Theory of the Novel and The Historical Novel, we are reading the following: Theory (Bostock, trans.) pp. 29, 97-101, 112-31; Historical

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-88880987795899879262008-11-27T17:14:00.003-05:002008-11-28T09:15:03.002-05:00

On November 21, an intimate pre-Thanksgiving group met to discuss excerpts from Martin Hägglund's new book Radical Atheism: Derrida and the Time of Life. Professor Justin Neuman led our discussion. Also present: Anne DeWitt, Colin Gillis, Andrew Goldstone, Sebastian Lecourt, and Jordan Zweck. In our festive mood we decided not to take detailed minutes, but I invite contributors to contact me (AG)

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-20174816647340623912008-11-12T16:12:00.002-05:002008-11-12T16:16:10.102-05:00

Our next Using Theory session will be next Friday, November 21, at 12:30 p.m. in LC 319. Professor Justin Neuman will lead our discussion of excerpts from Martin Hägglund's new book, Radical Atheism: Derrida and the Time of Life. Reading packets are now available on the windowsill of the department lounge. In the meantime, launch discussion with comments here!

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-54486991633286172452008-10-31T11:54:00.003-04:002008-11-01T11:42:55.662-04:00

On October 15, Gabriele Hayden led our discussion of Édouard Glissant's Poetics of Relation and Monika Kaup's "'The Future is Entirely Fabulous': The Baroque Genealogy of Latin America's Modernity," MLQ 68, no. 2 (2007) (abstract). Many thanks to Emily Setina for taking minutes. Please e-mail Andrew Goldstone if he has mistranscribed your comments; and please use the comments function below at

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-14339280081721027322008-10-10T09:47:00.003-04:002008-10-14T10:36:18.819-04:00

Reading packets are now available for our next Using Theory session in the department lounge. Gabriele Hayden G6 will lead our discussion of Édouard Glissant's Poetics of Relation. Gabriele has also included an excerpt from an important recent MLQ essay by Monika Kaup on the Baroque and Latin American Modernity. We will meet on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 1 p.m. in WLH 115. In the meantime,

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-38552733278007143842008-10-08T07:03:00.008-04:002009-04-28T11:08:51.149-04:00

On Monday 9/29 Andrew Goldstone led a discussion of excerpts from Pierre Bourdieu's The Rules of Art. Many thanks to Dave Gorin for taking minutes, which AG has lightly edited. Corrections to AG's and DG's memorial reconstructions are very welcome, as are comments on the post! For the full minutes, follow the link to the full post.Present: Emily Coit, Anne DeWitt, Andy Eggers, Colin Gillis, Dave

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-52737973133445965172008-10-01T08:00:00.001-04:002008-10-01T08:05:57.138-04:00

The first Using Theory meeting of the year was a special session on the history of the Yale English department, led by Professor Paul Fry. Many thanks to Julia Fawcett for taking notes for the minutes (below; follow the link to the full post). If AG has managed to garble your comments in transmission, please write him, and he will correct these minutes. We invite continuing discussion through

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-55261622064594873382008-09-11T11:30:00.007-04:002008-09-20T14:50:46.468-04:00

The first Fall 2008 Using Theory session features Professor Paul Fry leading a discussion of the history of the Yale English department. Lunch will take place at 1 p.m. in LC 319. Packets with Prof. Fry's draft history are available in the department lounge. We invite you to begin discussing this reading before the lunch, if you like, by submitting comments to this post.Incidentally--it has come

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-86578766445211094802008-08-09T12:33:00.009-04:002008-10-17T10:02:15.199-04:00

We are very pleased to announce our schedule of Using Theory brown bag lunches for the fall 2008 semester:Monday, September 15, at 1 p.m. in LC 319: Paul Fry will lead a special session on the history of the Yale English department.Monday, September 29, at 1 p.m. in LC 319: Andrew Goldstone uses Pierre Bourdieu, The Rules of Art.Wednesday, October 15, at 1 p.m.: Gabriele Hayden uses Édouard

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-73619010920731333442008-05-06T09:00:00.012-04:002008-05-16T14:21:26.972-04:00

On Tuesday, April 29, 2008, we met for the last time this semester to discuss graduate-student professionalization. We used John Guillory's "Preprofessionalism: What Graduate Students Want" and Walter Broughton and William Conlogue's "What Search Committees Want." Jeff Glover made an initial comment on the Guillory, and a spirited and contentious discussion of the readings and of professionalism

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-20944205227480437082008-04-23T11:12:00.001-04:002008-05-10T18:00:54.427-04:00

Our final Using Theory event of the semester, Metaprofessional Milk and Cookies, will take place on April 29 at 4 p.m.--note the special time. It will involve neither saltines nor ginger ale, at least in the literal sense, but it will involve milk and cookies, perhaps only in the literal sense.We will be reflecting on graduate-student professionalization through a discussion of two texts on the

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-9102981612369788752008-04-23T11:08:00.001-04:002008-05-10T18:01:59.341-04:00

On April 21 we met to discuss Sigmund Freud's "On Narcissism: An Introduction" and Heinz Kohut's "Forms and Transformations of Narcissism" [link on Yale network only]. Patrick Gray led our lively debate and discussion. He also provided several supplemental readings:Nancy McWilliams and Stanley Lependorf. "Narcissistic Pathology of Everyday Life:—The Denial of Remorse and Gratitude." Contemporary

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-85762341787011506322008-04-20T20:12:00.001-04:002008-05-10T18:35:23.964-04:00

Our next Using Theory lunch takes place tomorrow, Monday, April 21, at 12:30 p.m. We will be debating the status of psychoanalysis for the humanities, as Patrick Gray leads a discussion of Freud's "On Narcissism" and Heinz Kohut's "Forms and Transformations of Narcissism."In the meantime, CG and AG offer some preliminary thoughts and questions, as a way to set up the debate; to read them, follow

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-59238666876133332222008-04-10T22:51:00.001-04:002008-05-10T18:37:07.834-04:00

Present: CG, Anne DeWitt, Jeff Glover, Andrew Goldstone, Gabriele Hayden, Ben Labreche, Patrick Redding, Jordan ZweckDue to the negligence, prompted by excitement at the discussion and absent-mindedness in equal parts, of AG the minute-taker, the following notes on the discussion are short. CG has generously supplied the typescript of his lucid introductory remarks. Participants are warmly

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-84492161172469244422008-04-05T14:28:00.002-04:002008-05-10T18:38:39.891-04:00

The next Using Theory lunch will be Thursday, April 10, at 12:30 p.m. Our own Colin Gillis will lead a discussion of an excerpt from Elizabeth A. Povinelli's Empire of Love and a related essay by Povinelli in South Atlantic Quarterly 106, no. 3 (Summer 2007), "Disturbing Sexuality."Follow the link below for AG's discussion questions on the reading.1) Perhaps the most appealing thing about

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-1525538786268697492008-03-27T15:58:00.002-04:002008-05-10T18:39:48.862-04:00

On Wednesday, March 26, Susannah Hollister led a very lively discussion of three linked excerpts: the beginning of Kevin Lynch's The Image of the City, Fredric Jameson's "Cognitive Mapping" (later incorporated into the first chapter of his Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism), and the beginning of David Harvey's Spaces of Hope. Emily Setina generously volunteered to take

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-75670011918501761622008-03-24T23:33:00.001-04:002008-05-11T12:10:21.339-04:00

Our next session takes place tomorrow, Wednesday, March 26, at 12:30 p.m. Susannah Hollister will lead our discussion of excerpts from Kevin Lynch's The Image of the City, Fredric Jameson's "Cognitive Mapping," and David Harvey's Spaces of Hope. Follow the link to the full blog entry for discussion questions by CG and AG.CG: I think we should give further consideration to the exchange between

Colin Gillishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11619689476961508136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-17594613094088576682008-03-23T10:09:00.000-04:002008-03-24T10:24:38.764-04:00

On February 28, 2008, we discussed chapter one of Peggy Phelan's Unmarked: The Politics of Performance. A festive atmosphere prevailed. CG took notes. Please, if you notice any errors or misrepresentations, email CG or AG and one of us will change this post.Present: AG, CG, Nathalie Wolfram, John Muse, Jesse Schotter, Susannah Hollister, Anne DeWitt, Christopher Grobe, Gabriele HaydenJF:

Colin Gillishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11619689476961508136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-35518218946302335202008-02-27T22:05:00.000-05:002008-02-27T22:25:49.280-05:00

Two thoughts occurred to me as I read the first chapter of Phelan's Unmarked:1) Why does Phelan reverse the standard definition of markedness/unmarkedness from Prague School linguistics? From a structural point of view, in the opposition male:female, it is "male" which is the unmarked member, because it is the default; that is why sexists and linguistic conservatives think that "he" can be a

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-23853274645748399632008-02-27T20:57:00.000-05:002008-11-13T17:35:12.766-05:00

This week Lacan's sardine can surfaces in Using Theory for a second time. (The image is from here.) We first encountered the sardine can back in April, 2007, when we read Lacan's "Of the Gaze as Objet petit a." Now, in February 2008, we encounter it again in Peggy Phelan's Unmarked: The Politics of Performance. For Phelan, Lacan's allegory of the sardine can helps to reveal the gaps in what she

Colin Gillishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11619689476961508136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-54448747481988539842008-02-19T13:23:00.001-05:002008-02-19T13:26:57.641-05:00

Our next meeting will take place in LC 319 at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday the 28th--not Thursday the 21st as previously announced. The reading packets, with chapter one of Peggy Phelan's Unmarked: The Politics of Performance (Yale network only), are now available in the English department lounge. In the meantime, early thoughts and discussion can begin here! Comments welcome. CG and I will try to post

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-34567691201870084862008-02-19T11:45:00.001-05:002008-02-24T22:24:47.488-05:00

We met on February 6, 2008, to discuss the debate on digitization in PMLA 122.5, including Ed Folsom's "Database as Genre: The Epic Transformation of Archives," replies by Peter Stallybrass, Jerome McGann, Meredith McGill, Jonathan Freedman, and N. Katherine Hayles [for a posthuman cyberscholar, Hayles' web presence is spotty indeed--AG, ed.], and a further response by Folsom. Wai Chee Dimock led

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-33823145780941906542008-02-05T21:24:00.000-05:002008-02-19T11:44:08.151-05:00

Here's what this week's packet has got me thinking about:1. When we talk about digitization, we tend to celebrate the internet as an infinitely accessible space. Folsom glorifies the volume of usership and diversity of users that access the Whitman archive, and his enthusiasm is understandable; but just how accessible is this online database and other digital media? Are all modes of access the

Colin Gillishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11619689476961508136noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-25237604722837166642008-02-04T21:58:00.001-05:002008-02-19T11:44:42.847-05:00

Here's a placeholder entry for the upcoming Using Theory lunch on digitization, to be led by Wai Chee Dimock (Wednesday, Feb. 6, 12:30, LC 319). Colin and I (AG) thought we would post a few of our broad questions...The discussion can begin here, continue at the lunch, and then resume here afterwards, when we'll also post minutes.And by the way--it's instructive to look at Folsom and Price's

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-43579367077865211392008-01-29T09:15:00.000-05:002008-01-29T17:17:36.723-05:00

Professor Lisa Zunshine (currently visiting Yale from her position at the University of Kentucky) led a discussion of Simon Baron-Cohen's Mindblindness: An Essay on Autism and Theory of Mind and her own book, Why We Read Fiction: Theory of Mind and the Novel. We are extremely grateful to Ryan Carr for taking minutes. Our next session will feature Wai Chee Dimock using the debate on digitization

Colin Gillishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11619689476961508136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6509560293422968501.post-64511558948314429082008-01-22T21:35:00.000-05:002008-01-22T22:25:56.376-05:00

Before we begin our official blogging, I thought I'd memorialize here all the unblogged sessions of the past. Using Theory was founded by Professor Jill Campbell in September 2004. After a year of sessions, there was a year-and-a-half-long hiatus. In January 2007, it was refounded by graduate students Colin Gillis and Andrew Goldstone, with new emphases on saltines, ginger ale, dialogue between

Andrew Goldstonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14771529614065059914noreply@blogger.com0