This course will examine the thought of one of the major postmodern philosophers of the 20th century, Emmanuel Levinas. The course will center on a close reading of Levinas's key texts, exploring Levinas's conception of the other and the other's relation to the self.  The course will also examine Levinas’s development and subversion of the phenomenological project, the influence of Jewish sources (especially the tradition of rabbinic scriptural commentary), and the extent to which he works within and transgresses the western philosophical tradition.  Intended audience:  M.A. and Ph.D. students.  Seminar format.  Course evaluation based on class presentations, seminar participation, and a 15-20 page research paper. [Auditors excluded]