FTR-FIPPSB316
Biopower and the making of the human
Course infoSchedule
Course moduleFTR-FIPPSB316
Credits (ECTS)5
Category-
Language of instructionEnglish
Offered byRadboud University; Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies; Opleiding Filosofie;
Lecturer(s)
Examiner
dr. A. Cimino
Other course modules lecturer
Lecturer
dr. A. Cimino
Other course modules lecturer
Contactperson for the course
dr. A. Cimino
Other course modules lecturer
Academic year2022
Period
PER2  (07/11/2022 to 29/01/2023)
Starting block
PER2
Course mode
full-time
Remarks-
Registration using OSIRISYes
Course open to students from other facultiesYes
Pre-registrationNo
Waiting listNo
Placement procedure-
Aims
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
  • write a research paper addressing a well-defined biopolitical problem;
  • analyse textual sources in light of biopolitical questions;
  • apply a biopolitical approach to specific political and social issues.
Content
A distinctive feature of modern political institutions is their unprecedented degree of intervention in the lives of their citizens, ostensibly in order to promote the general well-being of their populations. In philosophy, this phenomenon is studied under the label of "biopower.” In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, biopower has undergone profound transformations. As a result of the rapid and prodigious developments of science and technology, the characteristic trait of biopower lies not only in the management of the biological life of human populations but also in the capability of reshaping, producing, and creating human nature. During the course, we will address some of the most challenging conceptual difficulties caused by the modifications of biopower. We will discuss both seminal texts of the biopolitical canon and recent lines of research. The intersection of nature, politics, and technology will lie at the heart of the course.
Level

Presumed foreknowledge
Test information
 
Specifics
This course is part of a module of three courses in the Philosophy, Politics and Society bachelor programme. You can only take this course if you also take the two associated courses during the same semester. If you want to register for the three courses in this module, you must FIRST register for the module itself. You can do this via the 'Minor' tab in Osiris. For an overview of modules and their associated courses, see the course guides on the website of the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies.
PPS modules are open to international exchange students, who can register in Osiris. Enrolment of non-PPS students and non-FFTR students can be rejected if a module becomes overcrowded. In such cases, PPS students and FFTR students have priority (in that order).
Required materials
Literature
To be announced on Brightspace.

Instructional modes
Seminar

Tests
Paper
Test weight1
Test typePaper
OpportunitiesBlock PER2, Block PER3