Public philosophy and pedagogy; Adorno and social pathology; Demystifying metaracism

An essay by Aaron Wendland; events with Andrew Bowie, Tricia Rose and Robin D.G. Kelley; pre-order our new print issue; two new groups

Dear all,

Lots to announce this week…

Firstly, our new print issue on “Punishment” is available for pre-order (with a 10% discount).

To celebrate the publication of this new issue, our entire back catalogue is now available with a 40% discount. Feel free to go wild.

You can also sign up to two awesome groups we are running this spring:

1) “Empire of Normality” Reading Group
Overview: This group will read and discuss Robert Chapman’s recently published book, Empire of Normality: Neurodiversity and Capitalism.
Dates: Tuesday 30 April to Tuesday 04 June 2024 (weekly)
Times: 11am PT/2pm ET/7pm UK/8pm CET (on Zoom)
Full Details: https://www.thephilosopher1923.org/groups-classes-1/empire-of-normality-reading-group

2) “The Life of the Mind”
Overview: What is thinking? What is it to think well? What conditions do we need, or what strategies might we employ, to be good thinkers? Why might we believe it is important to think well?
Dates: Wednesday 15 May to Wednesday 26 June 2024 (weekly)
Times: 11am PT/2pm ET/7pm UK/8pm CET (on Zoom)
Full Details: https://www.thephilosopher1923.org/groups-classes-1/the-life-of-the-mind

Huge thanks to Kate Warlow-Corcoran for putting these groups together.

Please note that priority booking for these groups, as well as discounted rates (where applicable), are available for our Patreon supporters. A Patreon membership also gives you access to our print/digital issues, meetings with our editorial team to discuss your most urgent philosophical questions, and more besides. Find out more and sign up here.

Your Sunday Read
“Circling Back to the University: Public Philosophy and Pedagogy in the 21^st Century” by Aaron James Wendland

Aaron James Wendland is editor of the New Statesman’s hugely influential Agora series. As such, he is as well placed as anyone to consider the relationship between public philosophy and the university. For Wendland, the dialectical relationship between academic and public philosophy suggests that “the future of public philosophy will be driven by the efficacy of using ideas developed in the academy to meet the evolving needs of our social and political realities”. In the essay, he also explores how the work of Emmanuel Levinas inspired his philosophically-inspired social and political engagement with Ukraine. You can read his essay here.

Monday Event: 11am PT/2pm ET/7pm UK
Adorno and Social Pathology
Andrew Bowie in conversation with Kate Warlow-Corcoran

In this event, Andrew Bowie, one of the world’s leading Adorno scholars, will discuss Adorno’s work and life, explaining some of his key philosophical concepts and the philosophical background and historical context of his thinking. Bowie will explore how Adorno’s exploration of why human reason can have irrational consequences led him to rethink basic concepts like “nature”, “history”, and “freedom”, offering alternatives to many ways of thinking about these concepts in contemporary philosophy. You can find out more and register here.

Tuesday Event: 4pm ET/7pm ET/10am (Wed.) AET
Demystifying Metaracism
Tricia Rose in conversation with Robin D.G. Kelley

Co-hosted with Boston Review!

In recent years, condemnations of racism in America have echoed from the streets to corporate boardrooms. At the same time, politicians and commentators fiercely debate racism’s very existence. And so, our conversations about racial inequalities remain muddled. In this event, pioneering scholars Tricia Rose and Robin D.G. Kelley will cut through the noise with a bracing and invaluable new account of what systemic racism actually is, how it works in areas like housing, education, and criminal justice, and how we can fight back. While these systemic connections can be difficult to see, again and again they function to disproportionately contain, exploit, and punish Black people. You can find out more and register here.

Finally, here is a link to the recording of our latest event, “Vanishing Racialised Bodies”:

Ending
The Philosopher is unfunded and relies on your support to keep doing the work we do. It is a constant struggle to break even and requires an immense amount of hard work - almost all of it unpaid.

You can offer a donation, join us via Patreon, or become a print or digital subscriber. All support is greatly appreciated!

Wishing you all a lovely Sunday, wherever you are.

Anthony Morgan
Editor