Winter 2018, CairoThematic Course
“The Weapon of Theory”: Critical Thought and Social Change
Course details
- Cycle
- Winter 2018, Cairo
- Length
- 11 sessions
- Taught in
- English
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About the course
How does political and social theory respond to change? What can theory tell us about social change? Conversely, what can moments of upheaval, revolution, and political and social change tell us about the theories they were attached to? Is there an intellectual history for revolution and counterrevolution?
In this course we will read texts of political and social theory in the light of the political and social events that shaped them, from the French Revolution of 1848 to the Egyptian uprising of 2011. We will study both revolutionary and counterrevolutionary representations. This effort will attempt to historicize these theories and understand them in the light of the specific histories that shaped them. In addition, we will explore what it entails to take these theories out of their historical contexts and apply them to others: what then is modified, revised, and/or preserved? In short this course is an exercise of putting theory in context and out of context.
While most of the assigned texts are theoretical texts, students are encouraged to research the historical context and compile a chronology of events. This also will be covered in class discussions.
The course will be supplemented by optional movie nights and read-along sessions
**Why Apply:**
To get a grasp on schools of critical theory and radical thought in light of the social and political movements they were attached to.
To theorize change, revolt, and revolution.
To think of our present condition in the light of various theoretical schools and frameworks.
To interrogate the various theoretical schools and frameworks in light of our present condition.
Who teaches it
Ahmed Diaa Dardir holds a PhD from Columbia University in Middle Eastern Studies and the highly esteemed position of “Sadīq CILAS.” His research focuses on questions of colonialism, subjectivity, and power. As a CILAS fellow, Ahmed has conducted and coordinated various courses and workshops in the Humanities combining Political Theory, History and Literature, including two workshops on Shakespeare. Ahmed is also a huge fan of theatre and has some experience in the field.
Course flow
Sessions without a date
- Karl Marx, Manifesto of the Communist Party
- Karl Marx, The 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte
The Commune and Revolutionary Theory
- Karl Marx, Civil War in France
- Political Cartoons
- Neil Hertz, “Medusa’s Head: Male Hysteria under Political Pressure.”
- Guy Gullickson, Unruly Women of Paris (excerpts)
- Janet Beizer, Ventriloquized Bodies: Narratives of Hysteria in 19th Century France (excerpts).
- Excerpts from the ‘Urabi Press (in Arabic)
- Excerpts from the anti-‘Urabi Press (in both Arabic and English. French excerpts also available)
- Vladimir Lenin, What Is to Be Done?
- Vladimir Lenin, Materialism and Empirico Criticism
- Vladimir Lenin, State and Revolution
- Prompts will include communist and Leninist anthems sung by Arab artists
- Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks (excerpts)
- Louis Althusser, Lenin and Philosophy (excerpts)
- Frantz Fanon, A Dying Colonialism
- Frantz Fanon, Wretched of the Earth (excerpts)
- Amilcar Cabral, “The Weapon of Theory.”
- Cartoons by Naji al-‘Ali
- قرارات الدورة الرابعة للمجلس الوطني الفلسطيني 1968
- قرارات الدورة الخامسة للمجلس الوطني الفلسطيني 1969
- غسان كنفاني، عائد إلى حيفا
- محمود درويش، مختارات
- إلياس خوري، الجبل الصغير
- Michel Foucault, “Truth and Power.” (Interview)
- Michel Foucault, “Useless to Revolt?”
- The Invisible Committee, The Coming Insurrection
Note: Students are Encouraged to bring their own readings to this session.
- رضوى عاشور، أثقل من رضوى
- محمد عبد القهار، غارب
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