Kommentar |
How can one study phenomena that are by definition not there? From a sociological point of view, ”nothing” does not necessarily have to be a negatively defined phenomenon or simply an unmarked space, but a productive resource that can be experienced as subjectively meaningful. Nothing can be accomplished actively or by accident, by being a ”non-something” or by not doing something as well as by ignoring or not-becoming something or someone. The course will explore different forms of nothingness such as non-identity, non-bodies, non-knowledge, inactivity, as well as silence. Empirical cases that are tackled in class include but are not limited to non-events and non-places, asexuality as non-identity, rejected or unsuccessful career paths, unseen chemicals, novel and formerly unknown risks, undone research projects, swimming clothes (or the lack thereof), and decision making under situations of knowing what one does not know. |