The midterm will consist of some (3-4) of these questions, of my choice. It is worth 20% of the final grade. You have 75 minutes to write; plan for about 15-20 minutes of writing per question. Remember: I reserve the right to include a question that is not in this list. Please bring a blue exam book, 8 1/2 by 11 size, to class for the test.
1. How would Nietzsche and Freud respond to Matthew Arnold's definition of culture? What definition might they offer in response?
2. What does "social construction" refer to in the case of a cultural event? What does it mean to "denaturalize" a cultural experience? How does critical theory denaturalize a television show or movie?
3. Milner and Browitt argue that utilitarianism is the most widely used social theory (ch. 1). Choose an example from some aspect of current federal politics (an idea, a statement, a policy, a set of actions). Show how your example could be understood from a utilitarian point of view (in the sense that Milner and Browitt use the term "utilitarian"), and suggest a critical theory critique of this social analysis. (Possible examples: Bush's plan for reforming social security, the reaction to Hurricane Katrina, the "war on terror", education policy, fiscal/taxation policy)
4. What do Marx, Weber, and Freud contribute to contemporary critical theory? How do they make critical theory critical?
5. How can critical theory analyze and critique both (1) fascism and communism, and (2) bureaucracies and corporations?
6. A few years ago two deaf lesbians wanted to have a child. In particular, they wanted to have a deaf child, and found a deaf sperm donor to aid in this. They already had a deaf daughter from the same sperm donor. How would a critical/cultural theorist analyze this example using the concepts of subjectivity and rhetoric?
7. What is representation, and why is it important to critical theory? How is the flag in the classroom an example of representation? How might a critical theorist analyze it?
8. Using the techniques developed in class, analyze the two Calvin Klein ads located at http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~janzb/courses/phi4804/ckads.htm Discusshow these images mean, not simply what they mean.
9. How does critical theory help to understand blond(e)ness? Be explicit in your analysis about the kinds of questions that might be asked.
10. George Bush, in his explanation of why terrorists commit terrorist acts, said "They don't love freedom like we do". With explicit reference to the class and/or the texts, identify at least three relevant questions a critical theorist might ask about this example of social explanation.