Topics in Critical Theory: Attention as a Technology of the Self

Why have crises of modernity so often manifested as crises of attention? This seminar traces the deep history of attention and its entanglement with modern subjectivity and society. We will explore how the capacity -- or failure -- to focus has shaped conceptions of the self, from the rational subject of the Enlightenment to the overstimulated individual in the modern metropolis and the distracted digital user of today. Combining media and discourse analysis with practical exercises, the seminar seeks to cultivate a deeper understanding of how attention is structured in contemporary culture -- and facilitate a freer relationship with it.