Coconote
AI notes
AI voice & video notes
Export note
Try for free
Insights on Affect Theory by Professor Sigwork
Nov 26, 2024
Lecture Notes: Professor Gregory Sigwork on Affect Theory
Introduction
Speaker:
Dr. Gregory Sigwork, Professor of Communication Studies
Publications:
Journals: Cultural Studies, Architectural Design, Culture Machine
Books: Contributions to "Deleuze Key Concepts," "Animations of Deleuze and Guattari," "New Cultural Studies"
Recent Book: "The Affect Theory Reader"
Understanding Affect
Definition:
Affect is difficult to define and not a singular concept; it's a process or ongoingness.
Described as "the force of encounter or the encounter of forces."
Three simultaneous aspects:
Encounter/Impingement:
Moment of contact shifting understanding.
Ongoingness:
Part of a gradient of positive/negative intensities.
Context/Field of Potential:
Wider set of potentialities.
Example of Affect
Dog Walking Analogy:
Points of intensity for the dog (smells) and the owner (sights).
Composition of relationships and variation in encounters.
Potentialities within the environment.
Affect and Deleuze's Theory
Connection to Territorialization/Deterritorialization:
Affect involves bindings/unbindings, becomeings/unbecomings.
Similar to Deleuze's concept of shifts in territorial understanding.
Affect's Dual Nature
Misconceptions:
Often seen as liberatory, but can also participate in regimes of domination.
Current Work:
Exploring negative aspects and connections to critical race theory and rising authoritarianism.
Affect in Literary Criticism
Rita Felski's Work:
Critique and Post-critique; focuses on text and sentimentality.
Political Engagement:
Affect as a politically engaged theory.
Sarah Ahmed's Contributions:
Emphasizes politics of emotions in social movements.
Affect vs. Emotion
Distinction:
Often confused but affect includes more than emotion.
Spinoza's Terms:
Affectio (affection/emotion) and Affectus (continuous variation).
Daniel Stern's Theory:
Vitality affects (ongoing processes) vs. categorical affects (emotions).
Influential Thinkers
Freud's Early Work:
Project for a Scientific Psychology; material basis for affect.
Brian Massumi:
Emphasizes the bodily aspect of affect; distinction from emotion.
Bruno Latour:
Distributed agency and the non-human, critiques Cartesian duality.
Conclusion
Affect is a complex, multi-layered concept that involves points of intensity, lines of variation, and planes of potential.
Its study spans various fields, including cultural studies, literature, and sciences.
Professor Sigwork is open to discussions and encourages engaging with young scholars and students.
📄
Full transcript