Election, Crisis, Violence and Philosophy
Alex Guerrero event on Lottocracy; The Philosopher & The News on Crisis; conversation with Henry A. Giroux; Simon Critchley event recording; Autumn print issue on Violence
Dear all,
I hope November finds you well, whether in the heart of autumn or, if you're lucky, in spring’s bloom on the other side of the globe! It’s an active week here at The Philosopher, with two digital events lined up and the release of our autumn issue on Violence. It’s also a globally pivotal moment as eyes turn to the US election, set against the backdrop of conflicts worldwide and an escalating climate crisis. As always, we aim to keep these pressing issues in mind through our conversations and essays. I hope our efforts add, even in a small way, to your reflections.
Your Sunday Read
“Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed”: A conversation with Henry A. Giroux
First published in 1970, Pedagogy of the Oppressed is a foundational text in critical pedagogy, examining the dynamics of power between the colonizer and the colonized. In this conversation, Henry A. Giroux reflects on the lasting influence of Freire’s work in today’s neoliberal world, where economic models increasingly shape public education and culture. Read the full discussion between Brad Evans and Henry A. Giroux here.
Monday Event: 11am PT/2pm ET/7pm UK
“Lottocracy: Democracy Without Elections”
Alexander Guerrero in conversation with Michael Hannon
Democracy is in trouble. What is going wrong? What should we do?
In this event, Alexander Guerrero will argue that the problem is with the heart of modern democracy: the election. Elections are failing as accountability mechanisms. They provide powerful short-term incentives, leading elected politicians to downplay long-term catastrophic concerns. Policy complexity, citizen ignorance, elite capture and manipulation, algorithmically reinforced echo chambers, intensifying partisan division and distrust, and the dissolution of political community all combine to render modern electoral democracies incapable of helping us solve the urgent problems we face. What should we do? You can find out more and register here.
Tuesday Event: 11am PT/2pm ET/7pm UK
“A Philosophy of Crisis”
Miguel de Beistegui with Alexis Papazoglou
Alexis Papazoglou’s “The Philosopher and the News” is back as a monthly event in the “On Philosophy” series!
Crises abound, so many that it can be easy to lose perspective. In this event, Miguel de Beistegui will trace the intellectual development of ideas about crisis and identify four distinct forms a crisis might take: crises of deviation, exception, contradiction, and extinction. Drawing on a range of examples and discourses, he will offer new conceptual tools for both understanding and avoiding the dangers of our crisis-saturated time. You can find out more and register here.
Latest Event Recording
Autumn Print Issue on Violence
And finally, I’m excited to announce that our new print issue is now available for pre-order with a 10% discount! The theme is Violence, and it’s guest-edited by Brad Evans, one of the world’s leading authorities on the philosophy of violence. The issue comes out this Wednesday, so order your copy before then to get the discount. You can find out more and pre-order here.
Ending
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Maryam Aghdami
Managing Editor