School of Government and Society (POLSIS)

Banner Code: 08 23400 Departmental Code: POLS G77H

Totalitarianism and the State (Political Ideas B) (2011-2012)
Dr. Richard Shorten
Teachin !ssessment"
Term One: n/a

Term Two: 1 x 5000 word essay 100%
Term Three: n/a
#ssay S$%mission &ates :
Term One: n/a

Term Two: 22 pr!l 2012 " 11#5$ pm
%le&tron!& '()m!ss!on !nto T*+,-T-,
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1
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Plaiarism
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-t should be noted that) aon%st other thin%s) >inadequate re!erencin%8 is deeed to constitute poor
acadeic practice.
2
08 23400 Totalitarianism and the State (Political Ideas B)
Synopsis
The course is focused around the study of Totalitarianism and the State in the context of
modern political ideas. It is organised both historically and thematically. Historically, it
traces developments in theories and interpretations of totalitarianism across the twentieth
century, from Hannah rendt through to !ichel "oucault. Thematically, the course
examines, in turn, the origins of fascism and of communism# perspectives on evil in politics#
the concept of political religion# the role of rationality in totalitarian regimes# and the notion
of the modern, surveillance state.
Extended overvie
In this module we explore the whole spectrum of intellectual attempts to come to terms with
the legacy of totalitarianism for modern politics. !odern thought, from rendt through to
postmodernism and after, has persistently concerned itself with that legacy, in a range of
relevant aspects$ the extension of the technological reach of the modern state# the outcome of
mass, democratic politics in support for tyranny# the ostensible failure of the !arxist pro%ect#
and perhaps most of all, the event of the Holocaust. &one of the 'uestions prompted by these
various episodes have ready(made answers. )onse'uently, they remain pressing for any
general, philosophical attempt to in'uire into the nature of contemporary political experience.
The first seminar on this course see*s to establish the broad reasons for the continuity of the
'uestion of totalitarianism and, in the more descriptive sense, sets out the central, definitional
features of the modern totalitarian state. Thereafter, the module is divided into two principal
parts. Section I surveys the ideological +forerunners, of the twentieth(century dictatorships.
Section II, in a more extended segment, surveys the breadth of theoretical +themes and
responses,, which span from -ight to .eft, from highly individualist accounts to more
representative approaches, and from 1/01 to the present.
Section I: 2e begin 3in +"orerunners,4 with the ma%or, philosophical figures most implicated
in responsibility for &a5ism and communism6Stalinism respectively$ &iet5sche and !arx.
"irst, we loo* at the difficult 'uestion of how aspects of &iet5sche,s philosophy may have
prefigured the politics of the Third -eich 7 not least of all because of that regime,s notorious
attempt to co(opt his thought, and despite the more recent efforts of postmodernist philosophy
to develop his ideas in a more +progressive, direction. Second, we focus upon !arx, the
pertinence of whom for twentieth(century experience is far less contestable, but whose direct
responsibility for the actual form that communism too* is less clear(cut, owing in part to
topics left vague in the more prescriptive aspects of his thought. "or instance, did !arx,s
inattention to the details of government and politics leave the door open to the possibilities
for dictatorship8 "urthermore, in relation to both !arx and &iet5sche 3though with
implications for political philosophy more generally4 we will as*$ can a political thin*er can
ever be ascribed blame for acts committed in his or her name8
Section II: In the more substantial part 3+Themes and responses,4, we proceed as follows.
Initially, we loo* at the immediate post(war attempts to ta*e stoc* of the disappointments
brought on by the record of revolutionary political ideals in power, ta*ing lbert )amus, The
Rebel as our representative text. Turning our attention next to the concept of political6
secular religion, we use the investigations of another "rench theorist, -aymond ron, to as*
9
what exactly fascism and communism owed to pre(modern, religious structures of thought.
The outcome of these regimes then more directly becomes our concern, with reference to the
genocidal logic which is often thought to have been implicit in Stalinism and &a5ism ali*e,
though which is +remembered, more acutely in respect to the latter$ 2as Hannah rendt right
to re(thin* her earlier criti'ue of +radical evil,, and to come to consider the Holocaust instead
as testimony to the +banality of evil,8 The criti'ues of totalitarianism offered by )amus,
ron and rendt have often been treated as suspect from more explicitly left(wing political
positions. )onse'uently, we conclude by reflecting upon interpretations elaborated from
within two more +radical, traditions$ the "ran*furt School and postmodernism. 2e loo* here
at !ax Hor*heimer, Theodor dorno and Herbert !arcuse on totalitarianism, including
!ichel "oucault,s reformulation of power, +biopolitics,, and the +carceral society,.
!r"anisation o# seminars
&ote that this is a political thought course and therefore that the close reading of historical
texts is an integral part of its delivery. To this end, seminars combine discussion of primary
texts with engagement in contemporary debates. The format is a two hour session. The first
hour will consist in a +traditional, lecture. The second hour will be entirely given over to
student(led discussion of both the reading and the themes raised in the lecture in the
preceding hour. Handouts will be distributed during seminars themselves and, thereafter, will
be available via 2eb)T. Seminar 'uestions for discussion 7 which, importantly, should be
considered alongside the *ey texts 7 are listed in the remainder of this document.
0
$ethod o# assessment
ssessment for this module ta*es the form of a single essay 3comprising 1::; of the mar*4.
The essay should be c. 1::: words in length. Students should set their own 'uestions and
agree them with the module convenor prior to writing. &ote that it is expected both that these
'uestions engage issues covered in the module and that answers ma*e substantive reference
to thin*ers and texts discussed.
The following are suggested as sample essay 'uestions. Students should, though, try to
devise and adapt their own, with reference to sub%ects covered on the module that most
engage their interests. &ote that 'uestions may be either general in focus 3e.g. <1, <2, <94,
or more specific 3e.g. <9, <0, <14.
<1. Critically evaluate the adequacy of Friedrich and Brzezinskis six!oint totalitarian
"syndro#e in the li$ht of subsequent develo!#ents and theoretical debate
<2. %hich of the follo&in$ best a!!roxi#ates the ideolo$ical character of
totalitarianis#: uto!ianis#' !olitical reli$ion' or instru#ental rationality(
<9. Is totalitarianis# the outco#e of #odern !olitical ideas(
<0. ")Forerunners* have ever !ortrayed roads for others &hich they the#selves did not
travel +,arl -.&ith' /01/23 4oes -.&iths contention adequately su##arise the
relation bet&een 5ietzsche and 5azis#(
<1. Is totalitarianis# "evil( If so' ho& should evil be understood(
<=. 6ssess Foucaults clai# that "the )7nli$hten#ent*' &hich discovered the liberties'
also invented the disci!lines3
1
%ect&re and seminar timeta'le
2ee* 1 Initial #eetin$ and #odule overvie&
2ee* 2 Introduction. The concept of totalitarianism and alternative theoretical
framewor*s
SE(TI!) I* +orer&nners
2ee* 9 "rom &iet5sche to &a5ism8
2ee* 0 "rom !arx to Stalin8
SE(TI!) II* Themes and responses
2ee* 1 lbert )amus and revolutionary ideology
2ee* = Study &eek
2ee* > -aymond ron and secular religion
2ee* ? Hannah rendt and political evil 7 radical or banal8
2ee* / The "ran*furt School, postmodernism, and instrumental reason
2ee* 1: 7ssay &orksho!
,eadin"s #or the co&rse
The remainder of this document indicates the most important texts that will be of use in
reading for this course. They are divided roughly into two categories$ 3i4 +*ey texts, 7 which
are compulsory readings 7 and which will form the primary focus in seminar discussions# and
3ii4 +further reading, with reference to each seminar topic. &ote that wherever possible online
versions of texts are suggested and that (E) indicates a reading is available within the
university library,s store of electronic holdings.
=
-etailed co&rse o&tline and readin" list
.ee/ 2 Introd&ction0 The concept o# totalitarianism and alternative
theoretical #rameor/s
Introductory readin$
@.). Isaac, +)ritics of totalitarianism, in T. Aall and -. Aellamy 3eds4, The Ca#brid$e
8istory of T&entiethCentury 9olitical Thou$ht (.e'(T)
). "riedrich and B. Ar5e5ins*i, +Introduction, in Totalitarian 4ictatorshi! and 6utocracy
(.e'(T)
Se#inar questions
( Co twentieth(century dictatorships re'uire a category of classification of their own8
( If so, is +totalitarianism, an ade'uate designation8 nd what should be the criteria of
admission to this category8
:eneral readin$ ;<can be usefully consulted across the #odule as &hole=
H. rendt, The >ri$ins of Totalitarianis#, esp. )h. 19
-. ron, 4e#ocracy and Totalitarianis#
D. Aaehr and !. -ichter 3eds4, 4ictatorshi! in 8istory and Theory
D. Aerman, Terror and -iberalis#
-. Aoesche, Theories of Tyranny: Fro# 9lato to 6rendt
@. Aroo*s, +Totalitarianism -evisited,, Revie& of 9olitics, =?62 32::=4, 91?(92? (E)
. Arown, +The Study of Totalitarianism and uthoritarianism, in @. Hayward, A. Aarry and
. Arown 3eds4, The British Study of 9olitics in the T&entieth Century
S. )ourtois et al., The Black Book of Co##unis#: Cri#es' Terror' Re!ression
).@. "riedrich 3ed4, Totalitarianis#
". "uret, The 9assin$ of an Illusion: The Idea of Co##unis# in the T&entieth Century
". "uret and E. &olte, Fascis# and Co##unis#
. Fleason, Totalitarianis#: The Inner 8istory of the Cold %ar
!. Feyer and S. "it5patric*, Beyond Totalitarianis#: Stalinis# and 5azis# Co#!ared
-. Friffin, ?odernis# and Fascis#: The Sense of a Be$innin$ under ?ussolini and 8itler
!. Halberstam, Totalitarianis# and the ?odern Conce!tion of 9olitics
I. Gershaw and !. .ewin 3eds4, Stalinis# and 5azis#: 4ictatorshi!s in Co#!arison
@.@. .in5, Totalitarian and 6uthoritarian Re$i#es
S. !euschel, +Theories of Totalitarianism and !odern Cictatorships$ Tentative pproach,,
Thesis 7leven =1 32:::4, ?>(/? (E)
. -abinbach, +!oments of Totalitarianism,, 8istory and Theory, 01 32::=4, >2(1:: (E)
HH+Totalitarianism -evisited,, 4issent, Summer 2::=, >>(?0 (E)
C. -oberts, The Totalitarian 7x!eri#ent in ?odern 7uro!e
.. Schapiro, Totalitarianis#
-. Shorten, ?odernis# and Totalitarianis#
@... Talmon, The >ri$ins of Totalitarian 4e#ocracy
S. Tormey, ?akin$ Sense of Tyranny: Inter!retations of Totalitarianis#
S. Bi5e*, 4id So#ebody Say Totalitarianis#( Five Interventions in the +?is2use of a 5otion
HH +The Two Totalitarianisms,, -ondon Revie& of Books, !arch 1>, 2::1 (E)
>
SE(TI!) I* +orer&nners
.ee/ 3 +rom )iet1sche to )a1ism2
,ey texts
". &iet5sche, The :ay Science, Thus S!oke @arathustra, The :enealo$y of ?orals, and The
%ill to 9o&er 7 excerpts (.e'(T)
@. Flover, +The )ore of &a5ism, in 8u#anity: 6 ?oral 8istory of the T&entieth Century
(.e'(T)
Se#inar questions
( 2as the &a5i appropriation of &iet5sche,s thought sincere or opportunist8
( Is the +will to power, a dangerous idea8
( Is &iet5sche,s thought apolitical8
( Should philosophers be held responsible for the unintended conse'uences of their
ideas8
Further readin$
G. nsell(Dearson, 6n Introduction to 5ietzsche as 9olitical Thinkers
S. schheim, The 5ietzsche -e$acy in :er#any' /A0B/00B. See esp. +fterword$ &iet5sche
and &a5ism$ Some !ethodological and Historical -eflections, (.e'(T)
HH, +&iet5sche, nti(Semitism and !ass !urder, in Culture and Catastro!he
C. )onway, 5ietzsche and the 9olitical
C. )oole, +The Dolitics of -eading &iet5sche,, 9olitical Studies, 0=62 31//?4, 90?(=9 (E)
S. Elbe, European &ihilism and nnihilation in the Twentieth )entury,, Totalitarian
?ove#ents and 9olitical Reli$ions, 169 32:::4, 09(>2 (E)
@. Folomb and -.S. 2istrich 3eds4, 5ietzsche' :odfather of Fascis#(
2. Gaufmann, 5ietzsche: 9hiloso!her' 9sycholo$ist' 6ntichrist
E. &olte, Three Faces of Fascis#
C. Stone, +&iet5sche and Eugenics, in Breedin$ Su!er#an
T.A. Strong, +&iet5sche,s Dolitical ppropriation, in The Ca#brid$e Co#!anion to
5ietzsche
!. 2arren, +The Dolitics of &iet5sche,s Dhilosophy,, 9olitical Studies, 99 31/?14, 01?(9? (E)
HH +&iet5sche and Dolitical Dhilosophy,, 9olitical Theory, 19 31/?14, 1?9(212 (E)
H. 2illiams, +&iet5sche and "ascism,, 8istory of 7uro!ean Ideas, 11 31/?/4, ?/9(// (E)
A. Iac*, +&iet5sche and )ultural -evolution, in The -on$in$ for Total Revolution
?
.ee/ 4 +rom $arx to Stalin2
,ey texts
.. Gola*ows*i, +!arxist -oots of Stalinism, in -.). Tuc*er 3ed4, Stalinis#: 7ssays in
8istorical Inter!retation (.e'(T)
G. Dopper, +Jtopia and Kiolence, in ConCectures and Refutations (.e'(T)
Se#inar questions
( Coes Stalinism have an identifiable core8
( 2hat relationship do the ideas of !arx3ism4 have to this core8
( 2hich of the particular elements of !arxism 7 if any 7 anticipate Stalinism8
Further readin$
H. rendt, +Garl !arx and the Tradition of 2estern Dolitical Thought,, Social Research,
=/62 32::24, 2>9(91/ (E)
-. ron, +"rom !arxism to Stalinism, in The 4a&n of Dniversal 8istory
I. Aerlin, +The Dursuit of the Ideal, in The Crooked Ti#ber of 8u#anity
I. Aerlin, +Dolitical Ideas in the Twentieth )entury, and +Historical Inevitability, in Four
7ssays on -iberty
. Fleason, Totalitarianis#, esp. )hs. = L >
-. @acoby, 9icture I#!erfect: Dto!ian Thou$ht for an 6ntiDto!ian 6$e
C. .osurdo, +Towards a )riti'ue of the )ategory of Totalitarianism,, 8istorical ?aterialis#,
1262 32::04, 21(11 (E)
2. .a'ueur, The 4rea# that Failed: Reflections on the Soviet Dnion, )h. 0
.. Gola*ows*i, +Ceath of Jtopia -econsidered, in ?odernity on 7ndless Trial
!. !alia, +The Derverse .ogic of Jtopia, in The Soviet Tra$edy
&. M,Sullivan, +Kisions of "reedom$ The -esponse to Totalitarianism, in @. Hayward, A.
Aarry and . Arown 3eds4, The British Study of 9olitics in the T&entieth Century
G. Dopper, The >!en Society and its 7ne#ies, Kol. 2
G. Dopper, +Jtopia and Kiolence, in ConCectures and Refutations
E. van -ee, The 9olitical Thou$ht of Eose!h Stalin
E.. -ees, 9olitical Thou$ht fro# ?achiavelli to Stalin: Revolutionary ?achiavellis#
T. Todorov, 8o!e and ?e#ory, )h. 1
. 2alic*i, ?arxis# and the -ea! to the ,in$do# of Freedo#
/
SE(TI!) II* ,esponses and themes
.ee/ 3 4l'ert (am&s and revol&tionary ideolo"y
,ey texts
. )amus, The Rebel, esp. )h. 9 (.e'(T)
". @eanson, +lbert )amus, or the Soul in -evolt, in C.. Sprint5en and . van den Hooven
3eds4, Sartre and Ca#us: 6 8istoric Confrontation (.e'(T)
Se#inar questions
( How persuasive is )amus, account of +the absurd,8
( Co revolutionary political ideas contain a totalitarian impulse8
( Coes )amus, attac* on !arxism threaten to overshadow the problem of fascism8
( Is the idea of +moderation, an excessively vague foundation for anti(totalitarian
politics8
Further readin$
-. ronson, Ca#us and Sartre: The Story of a Friendshi! and the Fuarrel that 7nded It
F. AreN, Ca#us and Sartre: Crisis and Co##it#ent
S.E. Aronner, Ca#us: The 9ortrait of a ?oralist
. )amus, The ?yth of Sisy!hus and >ther 7ssays
HH, Cali$ula and Three >ther 9lays
2.E. Cuvall, +lbert )amus against History,, The 7uro!ean -e$acy, 1:62 32::14, 19/(0> (E)
@. "oley, 6lbert Ca#us: Fro# the 6bsurd to the Revolt
. Her5og, +@ustice or "reedom$ )amus,s poria,, 7uro!ean Eournal of 9olitical Theory, 062
32::14, 1??(1// (E)
. van den Hoven and C.. Sprint5en 3eds4, Sartre and Ca#us: 6 8istoric Confrontation
@.). Isaac, 6rendt' Ca#us and ?odern Rebellion
T. @udt, The Burden of Res!onsibility: Blu#' Ca#us' 6ron and the French T&entieth
Century, )h. 2.
H. .ottman, 6lbert Ca#us: 6 Bio$ra!hy
S. &ovello, 6lbert Ca#us as 9olitical Thinker: 5ihilis#s and the 9olitics of Conte#!t
Ocurrently on order to libraryPQ
D. Thody, 6lbert Ca#us
M. Todd, 6lbert Ca#us: 6 -ife
-. Barets*y, 6lbert Ca#us: 7le#ents of a -ife
1:
.ee/ 5 ,aymond 4ron and sec&lar reli"ion
,ey readin$
-. ron, +The "uture of Secular -eligions, in The 4a&n of Dniversal 8istory3 Selected
7ssays fro# a %itness of the T&entieth Century, trans. A. Aray (.e'(T)
E. Fentile, +The Sacralisation of Dolitics$ Cefinitions, Interpretations and -eflections on the
<uestion of Secular -eligion and Totalitarianism,, Totalitarian ?ove#ents and
9olitical Reli$ions, 161 32:::4, 1?(11, trans. -. !allett (E)
Se#inar questions
( 2hich elements of totalitarianism 3if any4 have a 3pseudo(4religious aspect8
( 2hat is the analytical value of the concept of +secular religion,8 Mr is it little more
than an interesting analogy8
( )an political commitments ever resemble the nature of religious convictions8
Further readin$
A.). nderson, Ray#ond 6ron: The Recovery of the 9olitical
-. ron, The >!iu# of the Intellectuals
!. Aurleigh, Sacred Causes: Reli$ion and 9olitics fro# the 7uro!ean 4ictators to 6lFaeda
-. )ol'uhoun, Ray#ond 6ron: The 9hiloso!her in 8istory' /0BG/0GG
HH, Ray#ond 6ron: The Sociolo$ist in Society' /0GG/0AH
!. )risti, Fro# Civil to 9olitical Reli$ion: The Intersection of Culture' Reli$ion and 9olitics.
-. Eatwell, +-eflections on "ascism and -eligion, in . Dedah5ur and .. 2einberg 3eds4,
Reli$ious Funda#entalis# and 9olitical 7xtre#is#.
E. Fentile, +"ascism, Totalitarianism and Dolitical -eligion$ Cefinitions and )ritical
-eflections on )riticism of an Interpretation,, Totalitarian ?ove#ents and 9olitical
Reli$ions Ohereafter, T?9RQ, 169 32::04, 92=(>1 (E)
HH +Dolitical -eligion$ )oncept and its )ritics,, T?9R, =61 32::14, 1/(92 (E)
HH 9olitics as Reli$ion
C. Fordon, +In search of limits$ -aymond ron on Rsecular religionS and communism,,
Eournal of Classical Sociolo$y, 1162 32:114, 19/(110
-. Friffin, +Introduction$ Fod,s )ounterfeiters8 Investigating the Triad of "ascism,
Totalitarianism and 3Dolitical4 -eligion, T?9R , 169 32::04, 2/1(921 (E)
T. @udt, The Burden of Res!onsibility: Blu#' Ca#us' 6ron and the French T&entieth
Century, )h. 9.
H. !aier 3ed4 Totalitarianis# and 9olitical Reli$ions, Kol. I, trans. @. Aruhn.
C. !ahoney, The -iberal 9olitical Science of Ray#ond 6ron
S.F. Dayne, +Mn the Heuristic Kalue of the )oncept of Dolitical -eligion and its pplication,,
T?9R, =62 32::14, 1=9(1>0 3E)
-. Shorten, +The Status of Ideology in the -eturn of Dolitical -eligion Theory,, Eournal of
9olitical Ideolo$ies, 1262 32::>4, 1=9(1?> (E)
HH +Dolitical Theology, Dolitical -eligion and Secularisation,, 9olitical Studies Revie&, ?62
32:1:4, 1?:(1/1 (E)
T. Todorov, +Totalitarianism$ Aetween -eligion and Science,, T?9R, 261 32:::4, 2?(02 (E)
E. Koegelin, +The Dolitical -eligions, in The Collected %orks of 7ric Ioe$elin, Kol. 1, 3ed4
!. Henningsen
11
.ee/ 8 6annah 4rendt and political evil 7 radical or 'anal2
,ey readin$
H. rendt, The >ri$ins of Totalitarianis#, )h. 12 (.e'(T) and 7ich#ann in Eerusale#,
)hs. 11 and Dostscript (.e'(T)
C. Killa, +)onscience, the Aanality of Evil, and the Idea of the -epresentative Derpetrator, in
9olitics' 9hiloso!hy' Terror: 7ssays on the Thou$ht of 8annah 6rendt (.e'(T)
Se#inar questions
( 2as totalitarianism +evil,8
( Is it possible to describe something as +evil, within a secular view of the world8
( )ould Eichmann,s actions ever be described as banal8
( Co &a5ism and Stalinism represent two *inds of the same evil8
Further readin$
H. rendt, Res!onsibility and Eud$#ent, 3ed4 @. Gohn
S. schheim, +&a5ism, )ulture and The >ri$ins of Totalitarianis#$ Hannah rendt and the
Ciscourse of Evil,, 5e& :er#an Critique, >: 31//>4, 11>(0: (E)
B. Aauman, ?odernity and the 8olocaust
S. Aenhabib, +Hannah rendt and the -edemptive Dower of &arrative,, Social Research, 1>
31//:4, 1=>(/= (E)
-. Aernstein, Radical 7vil: 6 9hiloso!hical Interro$ation, 2:1(21.
HH The 6buse of 7vil: The Corru!tion of 9olitics and Reli$ion since 0J//
HH+Cid Hannah rendt )hange Her !ind8 "rom -adical Evil to the Aanality of Evil, in
8annah 6rendt: T&enty Kears -ater, 3ed.4 @. Gohn and .. !ay
S.E. Aronner, +!a*ing Sense of Hell$ Three !editations on the Holocaust,, 9olitical Studies,
0>62 31///4, 910(2?
!. )anovan, 8annah 6rendt: 6 Reinter!retation of her 9olitical Thou$ht
". )iaramelli, +"rom -adical Evil to the Aanality of Evil$ -emar*s on Gant and rendt, in .
!ilchman and . -osenberg 3eds4, 9ost#odernis# and the 8olocaust
@. )op%ec 3ed.4, Radical 7vil
!. d,EntrTves, The 9olitical 9hiloso!hy of 8annah 6rendt
@. Fray, +)ommunists and &a5is$ @ust as Evil8,, 5e& Kork Revie& of Books, 1>3=4, pril ?,
2:1:
. Heller, +-adical Evil in !odernity$ Mn Fenocide, Totalitarian Terror and the Holocaust,,
Thesis 7leven 1:1 32:1:4, 1:=(1>
S.G. Hinchman, +)ommon Sense and Dolitical Aarbarism in the Theory of Hannah rendt,,
9olity, 1> 31/?04, 91>(9/ (E)
A. .ang, +The evil in genocide, in @. G. -oth 3ed.4, :enocide and 8u#an Ri$hts
. !argalit, +Aetween evil and radical evil, in >n Co#!ro#ise and Rotten Co#!ro#ises
S. &eiman, 7vil in ?odern Thou$ht
. Mphir, +Aetween Eichmann and Gant$ Thin*ing on Evil after rendt,, 8istory and
?e#ory, ?61 31//=4, ?/(19=
T. Todorov, Facin$ the 7xtre#e: ?oral -ife in the Concentration Ca#!s
C.Killa 3ed4, The Ca#brid$e Co#!anion to 8annah 6rendt
E. Ioung(Aruehl, %hy 6rendt ?atters
12
.ee/ 8 The +ran/#&rt School9 postmodernism9 and instr&mental reason
,ey texts
!. Hor*heimer and T. dorno, 4ialectic of 7nli$hten#ent, trans. by @. )umming, esp. +The
)oncept of Enlightenment, (.e'(T)
H. !arcuse, >ne4i#ensional ?an, )h. 1 (.e'(T)
!. "oucault, 4isci!line and 9unish: The Birth of the 9rison. "or a condensed account of that
text, see esp. those sections reproduced in D. -abinow 3ed4, The Foucault Reader
(.e'(T)
Se#inar questions
( Coes the Enlightenment have an inbuilt propensity towards control and coercion8 )an
we associate totalitarianism with an excess of reason8
( Is !arcuse right to argue that we can tal* about totalitarianism in the absence of
terror8 re the conventional, liberal(democratic forms of modern society a +soft,
totalitarianism8
( Co the surveillance techni'ues of modern states threaten modern liberties8 Is the
conception of +biopolitics, a useful theoretical resource8
Further readin$
+/2 >n the Frankfurt School:
@. bromeit and 2.!. )obb 3eds4, 8erbert ?arcuse: 6 Critical Reader
@. Aernstein 3ed4, The Frankfurt School: Critical 6ssess#ents, = Kols
-.@. Aernstein, +&egativity$ Themes and Kariations, in -. Dippen, . "eenberg and ).D.
2ebel 3eds4, ?arcuse: Critical Theory and the 9ro#ise of Dto!ia
D. Aeilhar5, +!odernity and )ommunism$ Bygmunt Aauman and the Mther Totalitarianism,,
Thesis 7leven, >: 32::24, ??(//
S.E. Aronner, +The Illusory Cialectic$ "rom Enlightenment to Totalitarianism, in Reclai#in$
the 7nli$hten#ent
-. "oster, +4ialectic of 7nli$hten#ent as genealogy criti'ue,, Telos, 12: 32::14, >9(/9
F. Farrard, +Enlightened totalitarianism, in Counter7nli$hten#ents
@. Habermas, +The Entwinement of !yth and Enlightenment$ !ax Hor*heimer and Theodor
dorno, in The 9hiloso!hical 4iscourse of ?odernity
C. Held, 6n Introduction to Critical Theory
!. @ay, The 4ialectical I#a$ination, )h. ? (E)
2.C. @ones, The -ost 4ebate: :er#an Socialist Intellectuals and Totalitarianis#
C. Gellner, 8erbert ?arcuse and the Crisis of ?arxis#
2. Schirmacher 3ed4, :er#an T&entieth Century 9hiloso!hy: The Frankfurt School
S. Tormey, ?akin$ Sense of Tyranny, )h. 1
C. Killa, +Fenealogies of Total Comination,, 5e& :er#an Critique, 9061:: 32::>4, 1(01
. 2ellmer, +-eason, Jtopia and the 4ialectic of 7nli$hten#ent, in -.@. Aernstein 3ed4,
8aber#as and ?odernity
-.2olin, +"rom Existential !arxism to .eft Heideggerianism, in 8eide$$ers Children:
8annah 6rendt' ,arl -o&ith' 8ans Eonas' and 8erbert ?arcuse
19
+L2 >n FoucaultJ !ost#odernis#:
S. Aest and C. Gellner, 9ost#odern Theory: Critical Investi$ations
T... Cumm, ?ichel Foucault and the 9olitics of Freedo#
!. "oucault, +>#nes and Sin$ulatu#$ Toward a )riti'ue of Dolitical -eason, in 9o&er:
7ssential %ritin$s. See also "oucault, 9olitics' 9hiloso!hy' Culture, 3ed4 ..C.
Grit5man, )h. 0
HH The 6rchaeolo$y of ,no&led$e
HH, 9o&erJ,no&led$e
HH, The 8istory of Sexuality, Kol. 1, esp. Dart 1
&. "raser, +"oucault on Dower$ Empirical Insights and &ormative )onfusions, in Dnruly
9ractices
F. Futting 3ed4, The Ca#brid$e Co#!anion to Foucault
!. .illa, The Reckless ?ind: Intellectuals in 9olitics, )h. 0
.. !c&ay, Foucault: 6 Critical Introduction
. !egill, 9ro!hets of 7xtre#ity: 5ietzsche' 8eide$$er' Foucault' 4errida, Dart III
@.F. !er'uior, Foucault
. !ilchman and . -osenberg, +!ichel "oucault, uschwit5 and the Cestruction of the
Aody, in !ilchman and -osenberg 3eds4, 9ost#odernis# and the 8olocaust
@. Simons, Foucault and the 9olitical
A. Smart, ?ichel Foucault
C. Killa, +"oucault and the Cystopian Dublic, in 9ublic Freedo#
!. 2al5er, +The Dolitics of !ichel "oucault, in C.). Hoy 3ed4, Foucault: 6 Critical Reader
S. 2hite, 9olitical Theory and 9ost#odernis#
.ee/ :0 Essay workshop
The final seminar is set aside to give students some guidance as regards writing the essay for
this module. In particular, students should by this point have a clear idea of the 'uestion they
intend to address, and the session will be an opportunity to clarify 'uestion and approach.
10