OSAKA UNIVERSITY SHORT-TERM STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM _

Self, Identity and Society

Don Bysouth (Graduate School of Human Sciences)

Course Objective
In this course students will examine how 'identity' can be seen as an important organizing feature of the social world. Students will consider how different conceptualizations of what constitutes a 'self' are produced and constructed in different social contexts. The course examines theories of identity and self, and how they are produced, constructed, performed and otherwise enabled as self-evident features of the social world. The course will examine a range of psychological, sociological and philosophical approaches to the study of self and identity and consider how these are situated within broader political and critical debates. While the course will consider theoretical accounts, various empirical approaches, and particular identity categories (e.g., gender, age, sexuality, ethnicity) the main focus will be on how different social settings and contexts might facilitate (or inhibit) how people display who they are to each other to effect practical social outcomes.
After studying this course you should be able to:

Describe a range of key social scientific approaches to the study of self and identity;
Understand how various scholarly conceptualizations of self and identity relate to contemporary real-world contexts and settings;
Consider how different theoretical, cultural, and historical traditions influence and enable particular forms of identity;
Reflect on your own, and others, experience of self and identity in light of scholarly inquiry;
Detail major concepts and traditions in the scholarly study of self and identity;
Demonstrate an awareness of how conceptualizations of self and identity are important to a range of human science disciplines;
Begin to critically evaluate current theories and research on self and identity;
Use evidence to support or challenge an argument;
Use a range of resources including textbook materials, primary research papers, and internet based sources;
Demonstrate a range of transferable skills including written communication, multimedia presentation skills, effective planning and organization, and independence.

Requirement / Prerequisite
No prerequisite (although you should have sufficient English language ability to undertake university level courses delivered in English)

Course Content
   Week 1 Part I: Introduction
   Overview of course and why it is relevant for the human sciences

   Week 2 Philosophies of self and identity
   Essential Reading:
   Olson, Eric T. "Personal identity", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2010 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).

   Week 3 Social and cultural conceptualizations of self and identity
   Essential Reading:
   Goffman, E., 1959. Presenting the self in social life. In: Anthony Giddens and Philip W. Sutton, eds. 2010. Sociology: Introductory readings (3rd Edition). Cambridge: Polity, pp. 203-205.
   Highly Recommended Readings:
   Allan, K., 2011. Self. In: A primer in social and sociological theory: Toward a sociology of Citizenship. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Ch. 3.
   Wetherell, M., 2010. The field of identity studies. In: Margaret Wetherell and Chandra Talpade Mohanty, eds. 2010. The SAGE handbook of identities. London: Sage, pp. 3-26.

   Week 4 The contemporary 'Project of the Self'
   Essential Reading:
   Gergen, K., 2000. The self under siege. In: The saturated self: Dilemmas of identity in contemporary life. New York: Basic Books, pp. 1-17.
   Highly Recommended Reading: Elliot, R. and Wattanasuwan, K., 1998. Brands as symbolic resources for the construction of identity. International Journal of Advertising, 17(2), pp. 131-144.
   Recommended Reading:
   Isaksen, K. J. and Roper, S., 2012. The commodification of self-esteem: Branding and British teenagers. Psychology and Marketing, 29(3), pp. 117-135.

   Week 5 The historical self From myth to science
   Essential Reading:
   Martin, R. and Barresi, J., 2006. Introduction and Chapter 1: From myth to science. In: The rise and fall of soul and self: An intellectual history of personal identity. New York: Columbia University Press, pp. 1-27, 307-312.
   Week 6 The scientific self
   Essential Reading (choose at least one):
   Martin, R. and Barresi, J., 2006. Chapter 8: Mechanization of nature. In: The rise and fall of soul and self: An intellectual history of personal identity. New York: Columbia University Press, pp.123-141, 323-326.
   Martin, R, and Barresi, J., 2006. Chapter 11: Science of human nature. In: The rise and fall of soul and self: An intellectual history of personal identity. New York: Columbia University Press, pp. 201-228, 334-336.

   Week 7 The psychological self
   Essential Reading:
   Martin, R. and Barresi, J., 2006. Chapter 12: Before the fall. In: The rise and fall of soul and self: An intellectual history of personal identity. New York: Columbia University Press, pp. 229-254, 337-338.

   Week 8 The postmodern self
   Essential Reading:
   Martin, R. and Barresi, J., 2006. Chapter 13: Paradise lost. In: The rise and fall of soul and self: An intellectual history of personal identity. New York. Columbia University Press, pp. 266-300, 350-354.

   Week 9 Identity
   Essential Reading:
   Martin, R. and Barresi, J., 2006. Chapter 14: Everything that happened and what it means. In: The rise and fall of soul and self: An intellectual history of personal identity. New York. Columbia University Press, pp. 290-305, 343-345.
   Week 10 Talk and identity
   Essential Reading:
   Young, Richard F., 2008. Language and interaction: An advanced resource book (Routledge applied linguistics). Routledge, pp. 107-123.

   Week 11 Sanity and Identity
   Handouts will be provided in session.

   Week 12 Commodified identities
   Handouts will be provided in session.

   Week 13 Virtual Identities
   Handouts will be provided in session.

   Week 14 Beyond self and identity?

   Week 15 Presentations

Class Plan
The classes will consist of a mix of lectures, practical activities, audio-visual presentations, group discussions and case studies. The course will draw on principles of enquiry-based learning to provide students opportunities to undertake small-scale problem and inquiry-based projects (e.g., utilizing case study materials).

Textbooks
There is no 'set' textbook required for this course. However, we will be drawing extensively on the following text (some handouts will be provided):

Martin, R. and Barresi, J., 2006. The rise and fall of soul and self: An intellectual history of personal identity. New York: Columbia University Press.

Students will be provided with book chapters and readings throughout the course from the following indicative texts:

Antaki, C. and Widdicombe, S. eds., 1998. Identities in talk. London: Sage.
Benwell, B. and Stokoe, E., 2006. Discourse and identity. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Rose, N., 1999. Governing the soul: The shaping of the private self. 2nd ed. London: Free Association Books.
Wetherell, M. and Mohanty, C. eds., 2010. The SAGE handbook of identities. London: Sage.
Woodward, K., 2002. Understanding identity. London: Arnold.
Woodward, K. ed., 2002. Questions of identity. London: Routledge.

Grading Policy
Assessment:

Critical essay of 2,000 words (50%)
Multimedia presentation (40%)
Class participation (10%)

The course will be assessed by formative and summative assessment. Formative assessment will be undertaken throughout the term and consist of student participation in group practical activities and discussions. The summative assessment will comprise two tasks, performance on an individual critical essay on an agreed topic (50%) and performance on delivering a multimedia presentation (this can involve live presentation, a video presentation or involve a mix of different formats) to be delivered during the final two weeks of term (40%). The critical essay will require each student to prepare a 2,000 word scholarly essay on a topic that is developed in consultation with the instructor. The presentation will require students to deliver a critical presentation of no more than 10 minutes duration, in a format of their choice, on a topic or theme that is to be negotiated with the instructor. In addition, class participation will comprise 10% of the final course grade.
Students will be provided with detailed information on assessment including information on how assessment rationale and marking are related to course learning outcomes.
All assessment items will be moderated.

OUSSEP _

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