Fame, notoriety, renown – the desire to be recognized & immortalized is the most enduring & perhaps the most desirable form of power. Culture, commerce, politics, & religion all proffer promises of fame – whether for fifteen minutes or fifteen centuries. This course will investigate this subject by asking, what is fame? Why do people want it? How do they get it? What can they do with it? In other words, what kind of good is fame? Drawing on texts from history, ethnography, theory, literature, philosophy, & contemporary media, this course will reflect on the ethics, erotics, pragmatics & pathologies of fame.
