13952

WiSe 22/23: Notation, Writing Systems and Metapragmatic Awareness

Cale Johnson

Additional information / Pre-requisites

For this course it is not possible to enrol via Campus Management. Please enrol via the form "Modul-, Lehrveranstaltungs- und Prüfungsanmeldung" when you decided to take the course. You can find the form on the website of the Studienbüro Geschkult. Please submit this document to the Studienbüro within the same time frame you would have to enrol in your courses via Campus Management. The workload of the course equals 150 hours: attendance 30 hours, preparation and wrap-up 60 hours, hausarbeit (3500 words) 60 hours. For questions regarding credits you will have to approach your BA- or MA advisor of your study program." Please register also via email: wissensgeschichte@geschkult.fu-berlin.de close

Comments

This lecture combines an introduction to the history of de novo writing in the ancient world (Mesopotamia, Egypt and China) with elements of discourse analysis and semiotics. We will look at how notation has structured human consciousness and thought over time, as well as how interactions between notation and cognition have led to new levels and types of metapragmatic awareness. One of the main goals will be to build bridges between students whose interests focus on ancient writing systems and others with an interest in semiotics and anthropological theories. The first part of the course will focus on the origins of writing systems, while the second part will look at models of textuality and poetics and how large-scale textual structures (such as ring epics, compendia, or encyclopedias) are organized. No knowledge of any ancient languages or writing systems is required, but there will be substantial reading of secondary literature from several disciplines. This course will be taught in English. close