Winter 2017, CairoThematic Course
Black Swans: On Making Sense of Mess
Course details
- Cycle
- Winter 2017, Cairo
- Taught in
- English / Arabic
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About the course
course description
In 2007 economist-philosopher Nassim N. Taleb, a former trader and risk analyst, published his Book The Black Swan: The Impact of the HIGHLY IMPROBABLE. In his book, Taleb is “skeptical about confirmation”. He explains the black swan logic as one that “makes what you don’t know far more relevant than what you do know”. Taleb’s Black Swans are events with three qualities: “rarity, extreme impact, and retrospective predictability”, his theory was received with, both, welcome and deride.
This course revolves around the theory of Black Swan Events. The course engages with the concept of an “event” while playing with Taleb’s Black Swans logic. Together we will raise questions, such as, why do we need to study events? What are different types of events? What are the characteristics that define Black Swan Events, and why do they deserve our attention?
For the rest of our time together we will analyze a Black Swan Event each week. We will be discussing events such as the Chauri Chura incident in 1922 India, the Arab Spring revolutions, and the USA recent election. As students, you are more than welcome to participate in the design of the last third of the course and in choosing events to study together.
WEEKLY WORKLOAD AND EXPECTATIONS
You are expected to finish the assigned reading/s, and come to class prepared for discussion and equipped with two interesting questions
You are expected to share their findings, and any new materials: videos, comics, articles…etc. related to the topic of the week.
You are expected to respect each other during discussion. You are welcome to take notes but not to interrupt another speaker
You are invited to work on a research paper or a presentation (details TBA)
WHY APPLY?
To boost your resilience towards the unexpected.
To be less shocked when you wake up to a world where Donald Trump is president-elect of the USA.
To recognize and analyze BSEs and their impact.
Understand the difference between diagnostic events and BSEs and reflect on their philosophical significance.
Appreciate the importance of studying BSEs as a tool of analysis.
Who teaches it
Manar HAZZAA obtained her Bachelor’s degree from Ain Shams University and Master’s degree in Anthropology from The American University in Cairo. Her thesis “Narratives and Evidence: Struggles over Mohamed Mahmoud” focuses on the construction of competing narratives of the events of November 2011. Following eighteen narratives, Manar analyzed the production of different stories by different participants. Her academic interest revolves around these themes: anthropological research methods, the digital effect and the notion of evidence, oral history, and event as an anthropological concept. She has a passion for learning and teaching and enjoys her time in a classroom.
In addition to her academic interests, Manar gives a helping hand in her family’s farm, working their way into a greener world. On her free time, she loves to play with her kids, enjoys cooking, listening to music, and watching old comedy plays.
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