Being Other: Reflections on Alterity
Instructor: Professor Dror Pimentel
Intensive course
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Register by 31 January, 2026First seminar: 7 February, 2026
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The notion of the Other is a key concept in in contemporary thought. As such, it is highly complex—at times even contradictory. This course aims to bring some order to this intricate notion by outlining its main features. As a starting point, we will examine how the figure of the Other is portrayed in phenomenology, focusing primarily on Sartre and Levinas. These two thinkers present opposing views: for Sartre, the Other is the source of the self's alienation, whereas for Levinas, the Other is the origin of the self’s creation. We will further explore related concepts such as hospitality, ethics, responsibility, and interpellation. In this context, the Other is to be welcomed with unconditional hospitality, giving rise to both ethics and the constitution of the self. We will also consider Derrida’s aporetic understanding of the Other—simultaneously a figure recognized by the law and a complete stranger to it, and a source of both violence and non-violence. Following this, we will turn to psychoanalysis, particularly the works of Freud and Lacan. We will consider how the Other functions as a mirror for the self: in Freud, reflecting the self's ideal form, and in Lacan, forming the basis of the Imaginary and later the Big Other. This discussion will include an examination, from a Marxist viewpoint, of the relationship between the figure of the Other and the concepts of the State and Ideology, as portrayed by Althusser and Žižek.
This course is part of a three-course module – two seminars and one workshop – that are held over three weekends in February, April, and June, and two days in August 2026. The three first sessions are held online, while the August session will be hybrid, with options for participation online or on-site in Gdynia, Poland. The last session is followed by the 2026 Ereignis Conference, where students are encouraged to present their paper. Attendance at the conference is included in the course fee. Read more about the module and see the full timetable on the main module page.
This module is geared toward these audiences:
- Advanced-level undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students with an interest in philosophy, psycho-analysis, and the arts.
- Early-career researchers with a particular interest in one or more of the fields and inquiries covered by the courses.
- Artists and professionals with an interest in the relevant topics.
You can find more detailed descriptions of course content on the course pages.
Seminars