WRC 2294/Winter 2014

Special Topics: Taste and Tastemaking.

(Or, What you like and why you might like it?)
Good taste is the excuse I have given for leading such a bad life.
-- Oscar Wilde
Dr. Scott Whiddon
Office: Haupt 12
Classroom: Beck 3030
Class Times: 1-2:45pm. T/R

swhiddon@transy.edu
859-233-8298

Office Hours
Tues: 9-10:30am. Wed: 12-2:45pm. Thurs: 9-10:30am. Fri: 9-11 by appointment
only.1
Course Description
Via readings from various cultural theorists ranging from Aristotle to Carl Wilson,
we will explore the following questions about aesthetics: What is taste? How is it
produced and sustained? How does it change? How do material conditions play
into the production of taste? Is taste political? Social? Gendered? And why should
we bother talking about this stuff, anyway, given bombs and global hunger and the
like?
Participants will contribute to class conversations, summarize and respond to texts,
collaborate on a lesson plan for a class session, and create a final project that
synthesizes core concepts from the class. At the end, youll probably have more
questions than answers about this thing called taste but, hopefully, well all be
much more articulate in our considerations of what (and how, and why) we feel
some sort of connection with certain texts or discourses.
And, well have a good time. Taste/s is/are one of the strange elements that make
us human, and what it means to be a human being is a central question to liberal
education.
Required Texts
Wilson, Carl. Lets Talk About Love: Why Other People Have Such Bad Taste
(New and Expanded Edition). NY: Bloomsbury, 2014. (Please note that you
need this edition b/c of expanded readings.)
Other readings as assigned and distributed.

Pre-arranged appointments are given priority over drop-ins. If you need to talk to me, then I urge you
to schedule an appointment at least two days in advance.

Assignment Types
Participation: You are expected to carefully read and annotate each
assigned text. I urge you to budget time to read each text at least twice, and
well in advance of class time. I recognize and respect that there are different
types of people in the world, and that students can actively participate in a
variety of ways. That said: please have one good question and one
substantive comment in mind for each class, for each reading. You also need
to have questions/comments prepared for each of our special guests.
This class (any class?) will only be as interesting as the group makes it. I
reserve the right to ask individual participants to leave for the day if s/he is
clearly not prepared. I also expect participants to check email twice a day
and to promptly reply to correspondence. 25%

Reflection and Response Writings (aka, R+Rs): 4 of these will be

assigned to particular dates and will be required of all students (hard copy).
Participants will choose 4 other dates to compose/contribute these tasks in a
public forum. 8, total. More often than not, these tasks will involve either 1)
detailing the process of your final project or 2) responding to/reflecting on
readings. 200-300 words each (graded with a check-plus, check, checkminus, minus, or zero). 25%.

Collaborative Presentations: Working with a partner, each student will be

given 10 minutes (and 20 min for discussion) to lead the class through the
argument/context of a selected article that responds to Wilsons core
arguments. This needs to be a formal, prepared, tight summary and
contextualization feel free to use handouts, PPTs/Prezi, web links, music, or
any other visual supports. Each pair will also compose a 250-word abstract
of their chosen text (due March 4/6) and be graded on their preparedness for
a required conference. 25%.

Final Projects: Students will have quite a few choices for final projects: a 7-9
minute podcast that explores an object/text of taste; a creative text such as a
piece of visual art or music (with a short accompanying written text); a 7-9
page written argument that imitates Wilsons public intellectual writing.
Regardless of choice, each project will be informed by at least 2 of our shared
readings from the term. Well discuss project types/choices on Jan 22. 25%.

Late Work
If you know that you will not be in class on a day when a task is due, you need to
make arrangements with me before the class period you will be absent. I do not
appreciate late work, though I do understand that occasionally problems occur. You
have the option of turning one of the four required R+R assignments in late, if you
contact me via email before the start of class on the day the assignment is due.

Simply note: Dr. Whiddon: I am choosing to use my late option for (assignment
type/date). Thats it. Easy.
Once youve exhausted this option, I will accept late work with substantial penalties
to the overall grade (usually a letter). If your work is more than two class periods
late, you will receive a zero. Given our schedule, please keep up to speed with
presentations, projects, readings, etc.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
Qualified students with disabilities needing appropriate academic adjustments
should privately contact me as soon as possible to ensure that their needs are met in
a timely manner. For questions or concerns, call the Universitys Services
Coordinator of Disability Services at 233-8215.
Tentative Schedule
(Note: this schedule is subject to change, given the needs of the class, weather, etc.
It is up to you to keep up with day-to-day concerns + schedule changes, regardless of
your presence or absence in class.)
Jan 6: Introduction. Screen Colbert footage. Discuss texts, assignments, rules for
discussions (or, how to have smart arguments while still keeping your
friends). Assign R+R#1. Check availability for 3-4:15 slot for supplemental
workshops.
Jan 8: Discuss Wilson, Introduction and Chapter 1. R+R#1 due, hard copy
Jan 13: Discuss Wilson, Chapter 2 and selected NYT articles (Sanneh et al)
Jan 15: Discuss selection from Aristotles Poetics
Jan 20: Meet in Morlan for class with Andrea Fisher (Gallery Director).
Recommended: Artist Talk with Libby Rowe: (12:30 p.m.-1:15 p.m., Morlan
Gallery); Opening Reception for the Artist: Wed., Jan. 14, 5-7 p.m., Morlan
Gallery
Jan 22: Discuss Chapters 3-4. Introduce final project possibilities
Jan 27: Discuss Chapters 5-6 + selected articles about kitsch/TBA
Jan 29: If youre considering the written option for final projects, meet in class for
workshop/planning. If youre considering the podcast option, meet at 3-4:15
/Dart Labfeel free to attend both. Once I have a sense of folks taking the
creative option, Ill arrange a workshop time.
Feb 3: Guest: J. Tom Hnatow, Shangri-La Productions. Required R+R due
(pitching a project/hard copy)
Feb 5: Discuss Chapter 7. Guest (via skype): Heather Brown (Colorado College,
Fuel/Friends music blog writer)

Feb 10: Discuss selection from Kant, Third Critique of Judgment. Sign up for
individual required conferences
Feb 12: Discuss selection from Hume, On the Standard of Taste. Sign up for
collaborative presentation dates/pairs
Feb 17: Discuss Chapter 8 and selection from Bourdieu, Distinction: A Social
Critique of the Judgment of Taste
Feb 19: SW away from campus (SWCA meeting); project work.
Feb 24: Catch up day/discuss projects. Required R+R due (project
update/hard copy)
Feb 26: Discuss Chapters 9-10 and required individual conferences
Fri, Feb 27: Required individual conferences, cont
March 3: Discuss Chapters 11-12
(Wed), March 4: Begin meeting with presentation teams
March 5: Skype visit and workshop with musicologist Dr. Nancy Riley (reading
TBA).
(Fri), March 6: Finish meeting with presentation teams
Recommended: Gallery Lecture, Michael Frasca, 5:30pm, Morlan.
Collaborative Presentation Abstracts due.
March 17: Discuss Benjamin, The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical
Reproduction. (Note: I might alter this reading in light of class
concerns/discussions)
Recommended: Concert, Prof. Greg Partain, 7:30 pm
March 19: Discuss selection from Hebdige, Subculture: The Meaning of Style.
March 24: Presentations 1-3
(Wed) March 25:Recommended, TU Electronic Music Recital, 7:30pm
March 26: Presentations 4-5 / Check in on project development
March 31: Guest, Duane Lundy (Producer/Engineer at Shangri-La Productions)
April 2: Presentation 6-7
April 7: Discuss Lets Talk Later and other readings TBA. Assign final R+R hard
copy.
(Wed) April 8: Projects must be posted to our shared web space by 9am.
April 9: Students who take expressivist/creative option for final project will present
their work.
FINAL EXAM SESSION (2 hours): Students who choose essay or podcast option for
final project will informally present their work. Final R+R due (hard copy).
A final note: to quote the inimitable Lexington, KY noise band Hair Police, let's see
who's here and who's not. I urge you to set aside 60-90 minutes a day, every day,

for the reading and writing tasks required for this course. If we all commit, then I
am convinced that we will have an amazing experience these 13 weeks.