Faculty Workshop: "The Undercommons and German Studies" Prof. Ervin Malakaj, University of British Columbia

February 12, 2021 - 2:30pm

Faculty Diversity Workshop with Professor Malakaj "The Undercommons and German Studies"

Friday, February 12th, 2:30PM

How do we dismantle the racist, ableist, anti-queer, and otherwisehostile logics of the neoliberal university? What strategies can wedevelop in light of the recurrent historical injustice unfolding beforeus? What types of commitments and allegiances are possible despiteour tentative relation to academia, what Stefano Harney and Fred Moten describe as being “in but not of” the university?

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How do we dismantle the racist, ableist, anti-queer, and otherwise hostile logics of the neoliberal university? What strategies can we develop in light of the recurrent historical injustice unfolding before us? What types of commitments and allegiances are possible despite our tentative relation to academia, what Stefano Harney and Fred Moten describe as being “in but not of” the university? In this discussion, we will read from Harney and Moten’s “The University and the Undercommons” to think through these questions and issues such as the negative function of individuation vs. collectives, and how their insights apply to German studies specifically. This event is open to faculty from all departments, although parts of it will focus on questions particular to German Studies. Participants are asked to read Harney and Moten’s text ahead of the discussion. It is available as Chapter 2 in their book, The Undercommons: Fugitive Planning & Black Study (New York: Minor Compositions, 2013). The text is available open access here: https://www.minorcompositions.info/wp- content/uploads/2013/04/undercommons-web.pdf Ervin Malakaj, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of German Studies and Affiliate Faculty in the Institute for European Studies at the University of British Columbia. Ervin’s scholarship has focused on German media studies, queer studies, and critical university studies. In 2016, Dr. Malakaj co-founded the international scholarly collective “Diversity, Decolonialization, and the German Curriculum” (DDGC) and is member of its steering committee. Together with Regine Criser (UNC, Asheville) he co-edited the volume Diversity and Decolonization in German Studies (2020, Palgrave). ZOOM REGISTRATION LINK: https://pitt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMqd--vpzwjHtXzJY8enUINZcJj5vcnB4xq - All on a purple background with a photo of Professor Malakaj.