Course for international guest/part time students

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Organization

BTK Department of Russian Language and Literature

Code

BMI-ENGSEMIO-100

Title

Introduction to Semiotics (The History and Theory of Semiotics) I.

Usual semester

Autumn

ECTS

5

Language

en

Learning outcomes

A) Knowledge - By completing the course students know the academic, semiotic concept of the sign, and the history of theoretical reflection on the problem of signification from antiquity to recent times - know the foundations of semiotics in philosophy, logics, linguistics, communication theory, and cultural studies - know the most important models of the sign and various sign-typologies - know the most important traditions and schools of modern semiotics (including Western and Eastern European structuralis, American pragmatism, Cultural semiotics) B) Skills - by completing the course students become capable of the identification and categorization of simple and complex signifying processes - capability of analyzing signifying processes with the application of semiotic models discussed throughout the course - capability of identifying theoretical and practical problems raised in semiotic analyses, recognizing the fundamental assumptions, context, and boundaries of semiotics in general and its various approaches C) Attitudes - Advanced critical thinking - analytic knowledge and professional identity - readiness to integrate theoretical knowledge and problem-oriented thinking D) Autonomy and responsibility - capability of forming independent opinions on practices of signification - capability of assessing the social context of representations and their theoretical approaches, with respect to their potential function in discourses of power - using and creating texts and other materials in line with the principles of academic ethics

Course content

Throughout the course the history of theoretical thinking about signification from Antiquity to the 20th century, as well as the development and main schools and approaches of modern semiotics will be discussed. Topics: - semiotic concept of the sign and the basic assumptions of its study - the biological-evolutionary and socio-cultural function of signs - brief history of the concept of sign and theories of signification from Antique philosophy to the birth of modern semiotics - the main fields and schools of modern semiotics        - Saussure and French/European structuralism (Hjemlslev, Barthes)        - Peirce, American pragmatism and behaviourism (Charles Morris)        - Eastern European structuralism (Jakobson, Mukařovský)        - Cultural semiotics, Tartu-Moscow school (Yuri Lotman)

Assessment method

Five-level oral exam or written essay.

Bibliography

General introduction: Chandler, Daniel: Semiotics – The Basics, London-New York: Routeledge, 2007. Danesi, Marcel – Perron, Paul (eds.): Classic Readings in Semiotics (For Introductory Courses), Ottawa: Legas Publishing, 2003. French and European structuralism: Saussure, Ferdinand de: Course in General Linguistics, Baskin, Wade (trans.) New York-Toronto-London: McGraw-Hill. Barthes, Roland: Elements of Semiology, Lavers, Anette – Smith, Colin (trans.) New York: Hill and Wang, 1968. Hjelmslev, Louis: Prolegomena to a Theory of Language, Whitfield, Francis J. (trans.) Madison-London, University of Wisconsin Press, 1969. American pragmatism, behaviourism: Peirce, Charles S.: The Essential Peirce – Selected Philosophical Writings Vols. 1-2. The Peirce Edition Project, Bloomington-Indianapolis, Indiana Univ. Press, 1998. Morris, Charles W.: Writings on the General Theory of Signs, The Hague-Paris: Mouton, 1971. Eastern European Structuralism – Tartu-Moscow School: Jakobson, Roman: Language in Literature, Harvard University Press, 1987. Mukařovský, Jan: Structure, Sign, and Function. Selected essays. Burbank, John - Steiner, Peter (eds.), Yale Univ. Press, 1977. Lotman, Yuri M., Universe of the Mind – A Semiotic Theory of Culture, Shukman, Anne   (trans.) Bloomington-Indianapolis, Indiana Univ. Press, 1990. Lotman, Yuri M.: The Place of Art among other Modelling Systems, Sign System Studies 39,  2/4, 249-270.

Programmes of the course