Vibes - Worldviews - Ideologies
Catherine Berger holds a PhD in the History of Art from University College London, where she also taught for many years. She has worked as a tutor at the University of Basel and as a researcher at the University of Zurich and taught in various other institutions, including adult education and a secondary school. She has worked as an editor, written for publications and regularly translates essays and book chapters in her areas of expertise. The analysis of the relationship of cultural production to its social conditions is at the core of her work. Her interests and methods reach across disciplinary boundaries, interweaving visual culture with philosophy, sociology, political and economic theory, linguistics, literature, musicology and psychology, often with a focus on feminism, gender and theories of the maternal. A passionate teacher, Catherine works hard to create inclusive, supportive, student-centred learning environments.
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- Start Date: 10 Jun 2025End Date: 01 Jul 2025Tue (Daytime): 12:00 - 14:00In PersonLocation: Keeley StreetDuration: 4 sessions (over -4 weeks)Course Code: HCC18Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £95.00 Concession £77.00
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What is the course about?
This Cultural Studies course addresses the intangible forces of the mind that are difficult to define yet influence the way we feel and act. The term “vibe,” denoting a distinctive feeling or quality capable of being sensed, may be a neologism, but the concept isn’t new. The notion that processes of the mind have real effects is deeply rooted in Western philosophy, most poignantly expressed in the 19th century by the German philosopher GWF Hegel. It was Karl Marx who “stood Hegel on his head” and claimed that it isn’t the spirit that moves being, but the basis of being (in his – and our - time, the antagonism at the root of capitalism) that determines our thought processes. Marx relegated the mind to the sphere of ideology, a concept that has often wrongly been simplified as false consciousness.
After Hegel and Marx, philosophers and social thinkers in the early 20th century asserted that philosophy as a discipline was incapable of accessing an absolute truth. They claimed that philosophy only exists as a multitude of worldviews that express the conditions of their own existence (social, political, economic) rather than making any universally valid statements.
What will we cover?
It appears to make sense to diagnose our current age of algorithms, social media as a major source of information, of the post-truth, as an era of the vibe. If we live in a time and society where intangible vibes hold sway over reason and objective, empirical analysis, what does this mean for our social cohesion, political action, democracy? After all, we also perceive public opinion today to be more divided than ever.
Culture is located in the sphere of the mind, ideas and the imagination. In a similar vein that we can diagnose our time as one of a diminished relevance of reason and a decline of materialist politics, it’s also one that doesn’t afford much value to culture, as expressed in budget cuts and the general sidelining of cultural discourse. Are these two verdicts a contradiction? Or two sides of the same coin? These are the questions we’ll pose in this four-week course, reading excerpts from theory, literature and journalism from legacy media and the internet as well as engaging in lively discussion.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Have an understanding of the three key terms vibe, worldview and ideology, their definition and history
• Be able to detect the presence of these intangible concepts of the mind in contemporary discourse
• Have built a foundation to engage further with the history of ideas and social and political thought and to apply these to your understanding of and engagement with the present.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course addresses all levels. There is no expectation to have read Marx or Hegel, nor to prepare for the lessons. Any texts provided are accessible, short and will be analysed in class.
The main requirements are an open mind and a willingness to critically engage with our own preconceptions.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The four lessons consist of input by the tutor, assisted by PowerPoint presentations, reading assignments and discussions, both in small groups and the whole class collective.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Text excerpts will be provided as pdf documents or links. There is no need to bring anything else to class.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Please look also for other Cultural Studies courses under History Culture and Writing/Cultural Studies at www.citylit.ac.uk.