Sniff, sniff, sniff. "Is this Professor McHugh's class?
12 years ago
I came across this course offering at Cornell University. Yep, that's it, I'm quitting my job and going back to school!
http://www.arts.cornell.edu/sochum/courses_10_ 11.html
SHUM 4952 Exotic Scents: Cross-Cultural Aesthetics of Smell
(also ASIAN 4495)
Spring. 4 credits.
Limited to 15 students.
J. McHugh
T 10:10 - 12:05
This course is a cross-cultural exploration of the aesthetics of smell, the technologies of affecting smell (i.e. perfumery), and the demand for exotic aromatics. We will consider the theory of the aesthetics of smell in a variety of regions and periods including, for example, the work of Kant, early South Asian sources, as well as more recent studies by perfumers, philosophers, and anthropologists. We also explore the long-globalized art of perfumery and the important international demand for exotic aromatics such as musk and sandalwood. Students will pursue individual research projects, and they are highly encouraged to bring their own area-expertise to the seminar.
How does the aesthetics of smell differ from other sensory modalities? Within Western aesthetics, we shall consider how Kant dismissed smells and perfumes, before looking to more recent work by scholars such as the historian Alain Corbin, the perfumer Roudnitska, and the philosopher Clare Batty. Moving beyond these Western intellectual contexts, we will also explore the understanding of smell in medieval South Asia, as well as through the important anthropological studies of Howes and Classen. Here, we will also examine the complex theories of smell and odors in the late-antique Mediterranean (Ashbrook-Harvey). Ideally, in our examination of the aesthetics of smell, we will take a short smelling-class with a perfumer to introduce students to the issues involved in thinking with actual smells.
Not only does the seminar take a cross-cultural perspective on the aesthetics of smell, but we will also focus on the importance of exotic aromatics and perfumes in global olfactory material culture. From the writings of Theophrastus to Jacques Guerlain’s perfume Shalimar, European olfactory aesthetics has long gained prestige from acknowledging the Eastern origins and exotic Oriental aura of key materials, such as spikenard and sandalwood. Medieval South Asians, on the other hand, celebrated the Western regions as the fragrant lands of frankincense and coral. We will consider discourses and practices involving exotic perfumes in several areas, including Medieval Europe (Paul Freedman), China (Edward Schafer), as well as the history of musk in Islam (Anya King). What is the connection between the exotic and the aesthetic in perfumery? How do such non-Western discourses of luxurious foreign lands complicate our notions of a Western Orientalist point of view?
As the study of many of these questions is still quite neglected, this course provides students in a number of disciplines opportunities to make original and important contributions to their fields.
James McHugh is Assistant Professor of South Asian Religions at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. James’ teaching and research interests include the material culture of South Asian religions, the senses and religion, as well as Sanskrit religious and technical texts. Currently he is producing a monograph on the sense of smell and the use of aromatics in early and medieval South Asia. James is also interested in gemstones and minerals, as well as the theme of old age as represented and theorized in Sanskrit texts.
http://www.arts.cornell.edu/sochum/courses_10_ 11.html
SHUM 4952 Exotic Scents: Cross-Cultural Aesthetics of Smell
(also ASIAN 4495)
Spring. 4 credits.
Limited to 15 students.
J. McHugh
T 10:10 - 12:05
This course is a cross-cultural exploration of the aesthetics of smell, the technologies of affecting smell (i.e. perfumery), and the demand for exotic aromatics. We will consider the theory of the aesthetics of smell in a variety of regions and periods including, for example, the work of Kant, early South Asian sources, as well as more recent studies by perfumers, philosophers, and anthropologists. We also explore the long-globalized art of perfumery and the important international demand for exotic aromatics such as musk and sandalwood. Students will pursue individual research projects, and they are highly encouraged to bring their own area-expertise to the seminar.
How does the aesthetics of smell differ from other sensory modalities? Within Western aesthetics, we shall consider how Kant dismissed smells and perfumes, before looking to more recent work by scholars such as the historian Alain Corbin, the perfumer Roudnitska, and the philosopher Clare Batty. Moving beyond these Western intellectual contexts, we will also explore the understanding of smell in medieval South Asia, as well as through the important anthropological studies of Howes and Classen. Here, we will also examine the complex theories of smell and odors in the late-antique Mediterranean (Ashbrook-Harvey). Ideally, in our examination of the aesthetics of smell, we will take a short smelling-class with a perfumer to introduce students to the issues involved in thinking with actual smells.
Not only does the seminar take a cross-cultural perspective on the aesthetics of smell, but we will also focus on the importance of exotic aromatics and perfumes in global olfactory material culture. From the writings of Theophrastus to Jacques Guerlain’s perfume Shalimar, European olfactory aesthetics has long gained prestige from acknowledging the Eastern origins and exotic Oriental aura of key materials, such as spikenard and sandalwood. Medieval South Asians, on the other hand, celebrated the Western regions as the fragrant lands of frankincense and coral. We will consider discourses and practices involving exotic perfumes in several areas, including Medieval Europe (Paul Freedman), China (Edward Schafer), as well as the history of musk in Islam (Anya King). What is the connection between the exotic and the aesthetic in perfumery? How do such non-Western discourses of luxurious foreign lands complicate our notions of a Western Orientalist point of view?
As the study of many of these questions is still quite neglected, this course provides students in a number of disciplines opportunities to make original and important contributions to their fields.
James McHugh is Assistant Professor of South Asian Religions at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. James’ teaching and research interests include the material culture of South Asian religions, the senses and religion, as well as Sanskrit religious and technical texts. Currently he is producing a monograph on the sense of smell and the use of aromatics in early and medieval South Asia. James is also interested in gemstones and minerals, as well as the theme of old age as represented and theorized in Sanskrit texts.
