Research Group on Criticism and Sabotage

Description

This inter-university, international and interdisciplinary research group revolves around a theory and methodology known as "critique as sabotage" (cs). The starting point for this critical modality is to be found both in the work that M. Asensi has been publishing since 2007 (culminating in the 2011 book, Crítica y sabotaje, Barcelona, Anthropos/Siglo XXI), and in the group that came together in the monographic issue of the journal Anthropos. Cuadernos de cultura crítica y conocimiento, no. 237 of 2013, dedicated to this theory.

In fact, it can be said that it was the latter event that consolidated the research group that we present. Before describing the group, it should be remembered that this group has its origins in a previous one, already registered at the University, called "Grupo de investigación Literatura Comparada", with the number UV751. A key activity at that time was the holding at the Universitat of the 1st International Congress of Comparative Literature, directed by M. Asensi and B. Ferrús, with the participation of E. Peláez, M. Richart, N. Calafell and M. Zabalgoitia on the scientific committee. Practically most of the research group we are proposing today took part in that congress, one of the panels of which dealt with "cs". One of the most notable events that took place during that congress, which was to determine the future composition of this group, was the participation of professors from Latin American and North American universities. The conference ended with the publication of the proceedings, which can be found on the website of the Asociación Valenciana de Literatura Comparada (Valencian Association of Comparative Literature).

It can be said that the panel focusing on "cs" attracted the attention of many of the attendees, who proposed their participation in the project. Among them were people from the fields of literary theory and comparative literature, philosophy, anthropology, psychology, as well as history of literature. This initiated a series of scientific activities, seminars and conferences, which can be summarised as follows:

In June 2011 M.Asensi, B.Ferrús and M.Zabalgoitia carried out a research stay in Peru, at the Univ. Cat. de Lima and the Univ. de S. Marcos. At the former, M. Asensi gave the lecture: "Criticism as sabotage". In the second, the three professors participated as speakers at the "Congreso Internacional José María Arguedas: Los universos literarios", making applications of the theoretical foundations of "cs".
In November 2011, coinciding with the publication of the book Crítica y sabotaje, these three professors travelled to Mexico to present the text at the FIL (Guadalajara International Book Fair), considered the most important in Latin America and one of the largest in the world. At the University of Guadalajara, Dr Asensi gave the lecture "Criticism and sabotage", as part of the seminar "Surroundings and Interiors of Literary Criticism". Also, at the Benemérita Univ. Autónoma de Puebla, at the invitation of Dr Felipe Ríos, Professor M. Asensi gave a postgraduate course on the dialogue between "cs" and deconstruction.

M. Asensi's book was also presented at this university, with new examples. A similar activity, involving a conference, presentation of the book and examples, took place at the University of Guanajuato.

This same format of lectures and presentations was repeated in the framework of the Doctorate in Humanities programme at the Colegio de México. At the ITESO in Guadalajara, M. Asensi gave a two-day seminar for professors and postgraduates, where B. Ferrús and M. Zabalgoitia presented other examples. Dr. M. Asensi also participated as a guest at the openly organised ITESO Scientific Café, where his talk "Why deconstruct, why sabotage?" received a large audience and great recognition.

Goals CT

Develop syllogistic typology in the different modalities of discourse.
Sociological analysis of actions linked to sabotage in different contexts (Valencia, Mexico and other Latin American events).
Establishing the links between the concept of "world model" and psychoanalytically based therapy.
Comparative relations between different discursive modalities.

Research lines

Crítica y sabotaje

Analysis of the syllogistic typology of discourses, description of the models of the world they present, study of the conflicting relations between the different polysystems of a given social context (comparative relations between texts).

Management