In this seminar, we will discuss the basic notions and concepts of posthumanism in contemporary philosophy, literature and art.

All ‘posthumanisms’ are concerned with questions like What makes the human human? How does the body and the mind relate to each other? How do human minds and bodies relate to the bodies and the cognitive capabilities of non-human animals, landscapes and machines? However, different strands of posthumanism will approach and answer these questions very differently. With the help of short theoretical and literary texts as well as works of fine art and performance art that relates to this discourse, we will consider different ways of ‘becoming posthuman’ -- from transhumanism to critical posthumanism and finally compostism . Besides ethical and political questions, we will inquire if there is something like a specific posthuman esthetics. Furthermore, we will consider how the hopes or fears of ‘becoming posthuman’ relate to environmental discourses and ‘the Anthropocene’.

With central topoi like human-animal-relations, man-machine-hybridization, human enhancement, singularity, and space exploration, posthumanism has always had a close relationship and affinity to Science Fiction. Therefore, the watching & reading of cyberpunk and biopunk fictions and feminist SF will accompany this seminar.

Learn more about this course at the Kick Off Meeting on the 3rd of october 10 am, at Abteilung Ortsbezogene Kunst (2. OG, Paulusplatz 5, 1030 Wien).

The core of this seminar is discussion and exchange!

Attendance is required, active participation in discussions is highly valued and there will be regular small reading assignments. At the end of the seminar, every participant will present a work reflection the contents we have discussed – this can take the form of a classic Seminararbeit, a more experimental/literary text, an essay, an artwork.