Syllabus
Class
1. Course Presentation. Class
2. Concept origins in social sciences and humanities. Class
3. The word as representation: from mentalities to representations Class
4. Representations from the social psychology perspective. Class
5. The functions of the social representations. Class
6. 28 March (Holy Thursday) Class
7. Discourses, representations, and otherness. Class
8. Otherness on the social margins. Class
9. The relationship Master-slave: from Hegel to Lacan. Class
10. Levinas and the alterity. Class
11. Todorov and the “other”. Class
12. The self and the “other”. Class
13. Conclusions
Annotation
The concept of the "Other" holds significant importance in understanding various phenomena, such as power dynamics, relationships of power, the formation of identities, among other. Consequently, the theory exploring the connections between the "Other" and the self is a rich interdisciplinary area within the humanities and social sciences. In today's globalized world, where interactions with those who are different from us are a part of everyday life and can also be a source of conflict, grasping the logic behind these interactions is crucial.
In this course, we will begin by examining the concept of social representations, its functions, and its relationship with the notion of the "Other," drawing on the works of authors such as Van Leeuwen, Jean-Claude Abric,
Durkheim, and others. Subsequently, we will delve into the ideas of prominent thinkers who have engaged in significant discussions on this topic, including Lacan, Levinas, Sartre, Foucault, Todorov, and more. By doing so, students will not only gain a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical concept and its various interpretations but also learn how to connect it with other academic inquiries, such as issues related to domination, the legitimization of power, tolerance, intercultural coexistence, the process of self-identification, exclusion mechanisms, the cognitive functions of mental representations, and the production of discourses.