Kent State Theory Reading Group August 27, 2009
Posted by Jason W Ellis in Kent State, Personal.Tags: ksu, readinggroup, theory
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Things are afoot in the English Literature graduate program at Kent State. The other day I met Professor Raja at Starbucks to hang out and talk about postmodern theory. While we enjoyed our coffee on the patio, we hatched a scheme for a theory reading group that would enable face-to-face discussion and online interaction with others beyond the confines of KSU.
Our initial plan is to use the Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism and read it from start to finish so that we can trace the development and progression of theory from its “beginning.” Another possibility would be to eventually include larger works such as Deleuze and Guattari’s A Thousand Plateaus and go chapter-by-chapter or concept-by-concept.
It is our plan to meet twice a month on campus where we will discuss a couple of selections from the anthology. The online component of the group would allow folks who cannot be at the meetings (including those persons at other institutions) to take part in the discussions. Additionally, the online discussions may begin or continue the in person deliberations at the bimonthly meetings.
I am collating the responses from folks I have emailed about the group. If you are interested in this and I forgot to include you on the email, please drop me a line or comment to this post.
Count me in! I’ll be starting research this fall, so I may have to pop in and out, but I’d love to be a part as much as I can. At least to stay on top of readings and discussions. How do you plan on organizing online discussion?
This is a great project. My Norton Anthology is the one book I’ve kept close by during my entire undergraduate/postgraduate career. It’s become a kinf of talisman, and I’d be lost without it.
I’d be interested to hear more about an online component of the discussion.
It would be terrific if you guys can participate in the reading group. I have already received seven replies from the KSU emails that I sent out yesterday, too.
I will keep you updated about our first meeting, which will probably be a 2-4 weeks away (classes begin at Kent State next week). However, Masood has already created a web discussion space for us on his website–you just have to register a username/password to post there: http://masoodraja.com/theoryforum/topics
Any idea of what material you’ll be starting with?
I think we will begin with Plato in the Norton Guide to Literary Theory. I will let you know more definitively once we have a first meeting set. I just sent out the possible times to everyone meeting, so once I have that back, we can pick a starting date–probably two weeks into the semester. I’ll keep you in the loop.