Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

Publication Date

4-20-2020

Abstract

My work seeks to tear down the privileging of the objective at the expense of the subjective—the universal truth at the expense of the knowledge in the body, in the being—in order to restore the fruitful dialogue between the subjective observer as the object of perceived stimuli that become the mover. As a high-achieving individual encouraged in academic endeavors—one intimately acquainted with the language of prestige and intellect—I am seeking a new way to address theory through a return to material language; language connected to, informed by, and describing the world in the way that we know, rather than what we know: through the body and that mind which is situated within the body.

Informed by phenomenological and materialist philosophical inquiry, I will enter into a conversation with prominent theories and theorists—compiled from my exposure through classes at Belmont and from recommendations by faculty—to integrate the intellectual challenges of my undergraduate career in a more holistic way that addresses the role of subjective experience in critical thinking and the application of theory. Specifically, I will be influenced by post-modern, psychoanalytic, linguistic, and feminist inquiry.

The project will involve the translation of German texts, the application of literary theory from my English classes, and the evaluation of great artistic traditions. My handling of the art and artistic techniques will be largely informed by the theory I learned in my Advances Studio class with Dr. Corvette and my experience crafting visual art. I will work with my German professor Dr. Regine Schwarzmeier to examine the nuances of the German texts I use for this project. My chair, Dr. McDowell, will oversee the form of the project; the two of us will work to ensure that the quality of the creative writing is prioritized over the quantity of pieces within the collection. We have already established that we will begin weekly meetings to begin editing content while I am studying abroad in Scotland for Fall 2019.

This project entails writing creative responses to the work of theorists and artists who will help better situate me as I pursue my graduate degree in Social Anthropology, a discipline that combines my interests in art, culture, linguistics, philosophy, and psychology. In compiling the list of influential individuals with whom I will enter into a dialogue, I seek to highlight lines of inquiry over genre or tradition.

Document Type

Honors Thesis

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