2015-2016 How To Do Things With Theory

During the course of their studies at he DAI the students have to complete a written thesis. This is the culmination of the two-year course How to do Things with Theory, which consists of a monthly theory seminar, and one-to-one meetings between the students and the thesis tutors Bassam el Baroni, Rachel O'Reilly and Marina Vishmidt. For the plenary sessions the students have to read, discuss and briefly introduce theoretical texts from various fields. They develop skills to read and formulate questions for further inquiry. In addition to that, practical issues related to research and writing are addressed by the tutors. 

While during the first year the focus is on developing research skills and a central question for the thesis, formally submitted as a thesis project, during the second year the students engage in further research and in the writing of a master thesis.

The thesis is a written text, designed to help the students to develop skills to formulate relevant questions, which strengthen their artistic practices, and simultaneously allow them to position their work in a broader context. Theory is considered as field that ideally provides students with conceptual tools and strategies in their creative practices. The border between the theory and creative practice is porous and allows for interpenetration of ideas and approaches. Each thesis is presented to a carefully selected independent reviewer/examiner. For an overview of the theses abstracts and subsequent external reviews of the past years see our Thesis Archive.

Seminars 2015-2016:

- Constructive Alienation and the Anti-Sublime

- On the Limits of the Writerly

- Speculation as a Mode of Production, or: What Problems Can We Decide In This Room?