Spring 2021, CairoThematic Course
Unhomely Times: On Fear and Dwelling in Modern Life
Course details
- Cycle
- Spring 2021, Cairo
- Length
- 12 weeks
- Format
- Hybrid
- Taught in
- English
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About the course
Whenever we are confronted with an event that can change the course of our lives, fear and trembling befall us. Two paths usually present themselves in such moments: either to run away from the event, or to address it. Philosophy is the latter – it is addressing those events with questions that, if answered, would make us lead a better life. Today, however, we tend to run away, and consequently we often to push philosophy aside. This course asks why do we tend to run away from these events, and why would anyone need to address them. The main argument of this course is that as modern subjects, we tend to run away because we do not have a “home” - a reference point to which we could return to take a breath, and to then regroup ourselves to be able to look at these events.
As participants in this course we will need to read a bit, and to express ourselves in any way we find comfortable. It is a journey that could lead us to “dwell” on our feelings, thoughts, and experience with our contemporary world, so let’s make it worth it!
Who teaches it
Hisham Fahmy is a writer, lecturer and translator of philosophy. He graduated with a political science degree and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in philosophy. Hisham has published in both English and Arabic on issues of Islamic philosophy, political theory, and anthropology. He also has given numerous lectures on philosophy in general and political philosophy in particular – especially on the work of Carl Schmitt, Eric Voegelin, Theodor Adorno, Martin Heidegger, and Michel Foucault. He currently works as a teaching assistant of philosophy at the American University in Cairo and is a graduate of the Cairo Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences (2018).
From the fellow Course teaser: Whenever we are haunted by a frightful silence, we search for a place wherein we can dwell. Alas, in our modern world “dwelling” has become an empty word, for we are always on the run, and we catch ourselves thinking that questioning these silent moments, i.e. philosophy, is either in vain or a luxury! This course invites you to “dwell” on these thought through a conversation with each other, and with some insightful thinkers, such as Bauman and Byung-Chul Han - among others.
Course flow
Sessions without a date
Part heading in the breakdown table, placed before this row: Dwelling, Home, and Philosophy.
- Holger Zaborowski. (2005). “Towards a phenomenology of Dwelling”PP. 1-4
- Otto Bollnow. (1963). Crisis and New Beginning.PP: 1-5
In class
- ScreeningWatch some scenes from different films on the session, and then reflect on them.
- Zaborowskipp: 4-13
- Bollnow. (1966). Human SpacePP: 119-126 / 142-146
Remarks: It is utterly important to reflect here, even if anyone does not have such an idea, it is important to express you do you think this is the case.
Part heading in the breakdown table, placed after the week 3 row: Why is it hard for us to dwell today?
- Bollnow, Human SpacePP: 147-179
In class
- DiscussionThis is a reflective session. Each one will need to express an experience that they had/have with a dwelling as a place/person/idea. We all have to share this together.
Remarks: You can read the first 3 pages in (1).
- Bauman, Zygmunt. (1991). “Introduction”, in Modernity and AmbivlancePP. 1-18
- Bauman. (2000). “Introduction”, in Liquid ModernityPP: 1-15
- Bauman. “Individuality”, in Liquid ModernityPP: 53-72
- Bauman. “Individuality”, in Liquid ModernityPP: 72-90
- Bauman. “Time/space”, LMPP: 90-110
- Trouillot. The otherwise modernPP: 1-18. Extra reading (from the remarks column).
- Bauman. “Time/space”, LMPP: 110-129
- Martineau. Capitalism, Time, and Alienation.PP: 99-103. Extra reading (from the remarks column).
- Bauman. “Work”, in LMPP: 130-160
- Bauman. “Work”, in LMPP: 160-167
Part heading in the breakdown table, placed after the week 11 row: Revisiting the question(s): Can we have a home? From what are we running, philosophy or modernity?
- Byung Chul-Han. (2015). “Vita Activa, in The Burnout Society”PP. 16-20
- Han. “Society of Tiredness”, in The Burnout SocietyPP. 25-30
- Han. The Burnout society, in The Burnout SocietyPP. 35-51. Extra reading (from the remarks column).
- ZaborowskiPP: 13-25
In class
- DiscussionAn open discussion in which we can have a meal, share stories, reflect deeply, or just shout at each other – If necessary.
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