“What role is social theory (or a social theorist) supposed to play in cultural changes? To what extent can the social theorist claim that his/her cultural criticism is objective, or, to put it in another way, how can he/she objectify (and justify) his analytical position vis-à-vis that of the lay actors? If it is impossible to provide an objective critique, where should we look for an alternative? A group of contemporary cultural/social theorists, especially those working in the postmodern/performative social science tradition, argues that it is not through an objective theory about the presumed reality but through a “narrative” about human suffering that we can achieve freedom from oppression and cruelty. This seminar critically explores a wide range of arguments concerning the power of narratives and ethnography (and ‘writing’ as social performance) in changing the conception of who we are and what we can do to free ourselves from domination and sufferings.”(Kim, Kyung-Man)
