LiU Summer Academy: The Use (and Abuse) of Culture, 7.5 credits

LiU sommarakademi: The Use (and Abuse) of Culture, 7.5 hp

738G13

Course starting semester

Main field of study

No main field of study

Course level

First cycle

Course type

Single subject course

Examiner

Eva Hemmungs Wirtén

Course coordinator

Mansi Kashatria

Contact

Possible deviation from course syllabus/programme syllabus

Course description

Culture is everywhere, although it comes in different guises. In many contemporary conflicts culture serves as both the weapon and what’s at stake. For example, in their critique of Islamist terrorism, right-wing extremists across Europe and North America argue that ‘western’ culture is both what is under threat and what should be used to defeat the ‘enemy’. In more general terms, culture can be understood as the larger systems of meaning that are created and maintained by individuals, groups and public institutions. The course “Use (and Abuse) of Culture” is an introduction to cultural analysis, providing critical perspectives on these systems and how they function in an increasingly complex social and political landscape.

The concept of culture is also closely connected to notions of knowledge and truth. The course discusses what knowledge is, and how it is produced, circulated and consumed. Individuals as well as organisations and institutions are all producers of information and disinformation, but are there any differences regarding their claims to truth? This question has recently led to a proliferation of terms such as “post-truth”, “alternative facts” and “fake news”. Knowledge (and culture) can be used and abused, and it is also increasingly viewed as a commodity — as something that can be bought and sold. The course ties this changing role of culture and knowledge to what is often labelled the post-industrial society, describing a societal development that has transitioned from traditional industries to a growing creative industries sector.

The course offers a combination of lectures, seminars and field trips to museums and local sites that in different ways illustrate the use and abuse of culture in contemporary society.

ECV = Elective / Compulsory / Voluntary

Course offered for		Semester	Weeks	Language	Campus	ECV
Single subject course (Full-time, Day-time)		Summer 2025	202527-202530	English	Linköping, Valla

The course syllabus is preliminary

Main field of study

No main field of study

Course level

First cycle

Advancement level

G2F

Specific information

The course is given within the framework of the Linköping University Summer Academy and is only open to students from Linköping University's partner universities. The course is on bachelor level and is offered in English.

Entry requirements

To meet the general entry requirements, students must have completed 1 year full-time studies (passed 60 ECTS credits or equivalent) from one of Linköping University’s partner universities.

Intended learning outcomes

After completion of the course the student should be able to:

- account for different theoretical conceptions of culture

- problematize contemporary conditions and challenges for the production of knowledge

- discuss how individuals, groups, and/or public institutions use (and abuse) culture and thereby negotiate larger systems of meanings

Course content

The course explores different perspectives with regards to how culture is constructed, negotiated and consumed. Questions that are discussed are what (un)truths we can find in various expressions of (popular) culture, and how this may affect public institutions, political decision-making and scientific production in contemporary society.

The empirical and theoretical approaches of the course are inter-disciplinary and problem-oriented. Some of the problems highlighted during the course are

- Cultural Heritage and the negotiation of identity politics
- The possible decline of scientific knowledge in public discourse
- The changing role of cultural production in post-industrial society

Notions of knowledge and truth and how this can be studied from a cultural studies perspective are discussed.

Teaching and working methods

The teaching consists of lectures, seminars, and fieldtrips. Homework and independent study are a necessary complement to the course. Language of instruction: English.

Examination

The examination consists of written individual assignment, reflective assignments, and active participation in seminars. Detailed information about the examination can be found in the course’s study guide.

Grades

ECTS, EC

Department

Institutionen för kultur och samhälle

Code	Name	Scope	Grading scale
HEM1	Exercises	4 credits	EC
EXA1	Examination	3.5 credits	EC

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Linköping University common rules and regulations (in Swedish)

Course literature is preliminary.

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