Program Overview
Over the past three decades, the term “critical theory” has come to designate, particularly in the United States, a type of study that cuts across disciplines to examine the premises, concepts, and categories that structure academic discourse in areas such as literary studies, art history, film studies, history, philosophy, and political theory, to name just a few. Critical theory is therefore not limited to a particular field or even to specific content; it is involved wherever methods, concepts, and social formations are not simply taken for granted but subjected to systematic and rigorous critical reflection.
Some 150-200 students in relevant fields at Northwestern University participate in Northwestern’s Interdisciplinary Cluster in Critical Theory. The cluster provides a thorough introduction to critical theory through interdepartmental course offerings. Exposure to critical theory is highly recommended for students of literature, philosophy, politics, culture, the visual arts, gender and race studies, rhetoric, and society in our post-colonial, post-modern world.
The Cluster offers possibilities for graduate student accreditation in the form of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificates in Critical Theory. It offers a number of forums and venues for intellectual exchange between graduate students and faculty with related interests in different departments and programs. It promotes reading groups, workshops, several other opportunities for graduate students, and a coherent program of interdisciplinary coursework at Northwestern.
Northwestern also offers the Berlin Program in Critical Theory, which affords up to five advanced graduate students, from a wide variety of disciplines, a unique opportunity to spend one year in Berlin familiarizing themselves with German and European theoretical research.
Among the activities regularly organized by the cluster are: welcome and end-of-year events for new graduates, faculty-graduate book dialogues, annual “Critical Theory in Critical Times” workshops, doctoral dissertation workshops, annual events organized by Northwestern’s Cornell University School of Criticism and Theory fellowship awardee, visiting speakers including lectures and a workshop with Max Kade Visiting Professors, and inter-university doctoral workshops with institutional partners such as the University of Frankfurt and the École Normale Supérieure, Paris.
Northwestern’s Weinberg College also offers an undergraduate minor in Critical Theory along with undergraduate reading groups, often conducted in conjunction with graduate students. For more information about the undergraduate minor, contact José Medina, one of the associate directors. For information about the graduate cluster, contact the director, Cristina Lafont, and/or one of the associate directors, Penelope Deutscher or Alejandra Uslenghi.
Contact Ann Kelchner for information about possible funding assistance, which may be available to Critical Theory graduate affiliates delivering papers at relevant conferences. More information on funding opportunities can be found here.