Discourse Network 2000: Around Kittler

DISCOURSE NETWORK 2000: Reading (around) Friedrich Kittler

In the past decade(s) Friedrich Kittler’s Gramophone, Film, Typewriter (1986) has gained much notoriety (and criticism) in the field of media studies. But, as questions concerning media and mediality become almost unavoidable, Kittler’s particular brand of media-archaeology and broad, far-reaching arguments may also prove fruitful to other fields of research, for instance into music, literature and the visual arts. In this reading group we first want to return to capita selecta from Kittlers seminal work Discourse Networks, 1800/1900 (1985). But, more importantly, in order to gain a better understanding of Kittler’s take on the materiality of media and the emergence of a primacy of data as well as the role of information and noise in what may be called ‘Discourse Network 2000,’ we want to read Leibniz’ ‘New Essays,’ as one of the first philosophers to deal with the mathematical foundations of reality. Depending on how the reading develops, further readings might include (parts of) McLuhan’s Understanding Media, or selected essays of Heidegger. Other literature suggestions and/or ideas for additional reading might emerge during the sessions and are of course welcome. We would very much like to invite everyone interested to join.

For enrolment, or any questions, please e-mail Melle Kromhout through  m.j.kromhout@uva.nl

Dates:

• Tuesday 6 November – 16:00 – 18:00, location t.b.a.
• Tuesday 11 December – 16:00 – 18:00, location t.b.a.
• Tuesday 29 February – 16:00 – 18:00, location t.b.a.
• Tuesday 5 March – 16:00 – 18:00, location t.b.a.
• Tuesday 9 April – 16:00 – 18:00, location t.b.a.
• Tuesday 28 May – 16:00 – 18:00