Continental Philosophy

"Continental philosophy" is a collective term for several philosophical approaches in 20th-century and contemporary philosophy that lie outside the analytical tradition, such as existentialism, phenomenology, critical theory, poststructuralism, and postcolonial philosophy. The course will address one or more central issues and authors in continental philosophy and develop students' abilities to analytically read and rationally discuss rich and complex original texts.

The course can either focus on a specific approach or author within continental philosophy and study it using relevant original texts, or take as its starting point a problem and explore it through various authors and texts.

What does the course cover in fall 2025?

In fall 2025, the course is focused on "Continental Philosophy and the Global South". It examines how authors like Fanon, Sartre, Glissant and Spivak have addressed philosophical problems related to European colonialism and its legacies, and in doing so have engaged with and contributed to approaches like existentialism, phenomenology, poststructuralism, and critical theory in the tradition of Hegel and Marx. Topics we discuss include racism, identity, recognition, lived experience, epistemic decolonization, anticolonial violence, universalism, humanism, memory and reparations. Most readings are made available on mitt.uib together with background material, but students should own a copy of Fanon's Black Skin, White Masks and The Wretched of the Earth (both published by Penguin).

Knowledge:

After completing the course, the student should have:

- knowledge of one or more relevant issues that are discussed in the modern thinking.

- good knowledge of one or more original texts.

Skills:

After completing the course, the student should be able to:

- to gain knowledge about the concepts employed in modern thinking.

Competence:

After completing the course, the student should have competence:

- work independently and communicate on professional topics.