This course aims to introduce students to the original spirit of critical inquiry: a sense of wonder, intellectual courage, and speaking fearlessly. From ancient Greek philosophers to Michel Foucault, parrhesia has been upheld as an intellectual ideal. This course attempts to inculcate such thinking while conducting innovative research and challenging existing epistemic paradigms. Students will be exposed to original ideas in literature, philosophy, critical theory, and history. The basic idea is to push the boundaries of existing research in the humanities. It is a project-oriented course, and the final requirement is a substantial research paper. The course utilizes all available means to transgress the epistemic status quo while pursuing an original project of critical inquiry.
