Re-Voice-Over: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Reception

Catalog description

Over the past few decades, the notion of reception has gained significant momentum across the humanities. Deep-rooted in theoretical approaches such as those of Gadamer, Iser, Jauss and Fish, which stressed the active role of the reader in the construction of textual meaning, the field of reception studies has been powerfully nourished by concurrent developments in the cognate area of classical reception. In particular, the gradual transition from the framework known as “classical tradition” to that of “classical reception” has allowed for more dynamic explorations of the ways in which ancient texts live through time and space via various forms of reading, rewriting, remaking, re-enactment. Alongside offering a theoretical introduction to reception studies (including reception theory and its roots in ancient rhetoric and poetics), this seminar concentrates on the place of performance and performativity in the workings of reception itself. Adopting a broad notion of textuality, the seminar considers reception across media giving special attention to the interdisciplinary potential of the field. The theoretical introduction is followed by a major case study, which changes every year. Towards the end of the semester, students will hold seminar-style presentations preparatory to their final papers. Topics will be assigned so as to meet the students’ specific interests and disciplinary background. If possible, seminar work will be implemented by attendance at live performances.