SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION

CMNS 488-4

(SPECIAL TOPICS)
SEMINAR IN SEMIOTICS AND DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Prerequisites:

Minimum 75 credits and permission of the instructor. CMNS 304 is strongly recommended.

Course Description:

The study of signification, often associated with a “linguistic turn” in the humanities and social sciences, has been one of the defining features of twentieth century intellectual work with particular importance in the development of structuralist and post-structuralist thought. Semiotics has played a foundational role in constituting Communication Studies as an interdisciplinary field concerned with meaning-making, and developments in discursive analysis continue to revitalize the area. This course will make a survey of some of the key texts in the tradition. By the end of the course, students will be familiar with some of the essential terms, concepts and debates about the sign in the modern thought. Overall, our emphasis will be on the situation of signs and subjects in social life and, therefore, the essentially value-laden aspect of their circulation. Application of semiotic theory to cultural texts in the presentation and final paper is strongly encouraged.

Required Texts:

Innis, Robert E., ed. Semiotics: An Introductory Anthology. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1985.
Silverman, Kaja. The Subject of Semiotics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1983.
Wetherell, Margaret, et al, eds. Discourse Theory and Practice: A Reader. London: SAGE, 2001.
Other readings will be placed on reserve.

Assignments:

Short analytic paper 15%
Seminar Presentation 20%
Participation 10%
Take-home mid-term 25%
Term paper 30%

School The School expects that the grades awarded in this course will bear some reasonable relation to established university-wide practices with respect to both levels and distribution of grades. In addition, the will follow Policy T10.02 with respect to “Intellectual Honesty” and “Academic Discipline” (see the current Calendar, General Regulations section).