Literary and philosophical essays of the past and present will be read and discussed. The focus will be on positions of writing with, against, for, and about "nature," and we will be equally concerned with formal and aesthetic questions of essay writing.

Readings and discussions will include: Theodor W. Adorno, Donna J. Haraway, Mike Rowlands, Elisabeth Grosz, Paul B. Preciado, Timothy Morton, Cord Riechelmann, Judith Schalansky, Raymond Williams, Anna-Tsing, Kate Soper, Sunaura Taylor, Rudolf Burger, Oxana Timofeeva, Robert Menasse, Astrida Neimanis, Oliver Sacks,  Herman Melville, Georges Canguilhem, Kathryn Yusoff.

Regular and active participation

Reading

Preparation of excerpts

Presentations

All texts will be provided

On the first date, October 7, 2022, a summary of Raymond Williams "Ideas of Nature" (1980) up to two pages in length, is to be prepared and submitted in printed form (double-sided).

On the second date of October 14, 2022, a summary of Theodor W. Adorno's "The Essay as Form" (1974) up to two pages in length, is to be prepared and submitted in printed form (double-sided).

On the third date of October 15, 2022, a summary of Donna J. Haraway's "Situated Knowledge. The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of a Partial Perspective" (1988/1995), up to two pages in length, to be completed and submitted in printed copy (double-sided).

All technical and administrative procedures of the course will be explained at the first appointment.