S. Contemporary Critical Thought II

This seminar focuses, each year, on a different set of topics at the heart of contemporary critical theory in law, politics, and social inquiry. In 2024-2025, for instance, the seminar explored the writings of Karl Marx and organized the public seminar Marx 13/13, which can be viewed here: https://marx1313.law.columbia.edu.

In the Fall 2026, the seminar continued its focus from 2025-2026 on legal and political thinkers and actors who "inverted" Hegel's thought. You can get a sense of the topics that were covered at the website: https://hegel1313.law.columbia.edu

In the Spring 2027, we will turn to larger questions of political philosophy to start to develop our own critical theory of the present. We will cover issues of geopolitics, relations of power, political economy, and social struggle drawing on authors like Foucault, Butler, Du Bois, Marx, Nietzsche, and others.

The graduate student seminar will be structured to frame a series of formal public seminars at which guests, from different disciplines, will be invited to discuss the readings and present on the themes of the seminar. Each formal seminar will host specialists from across the disciplines, from Columbia University and from outside campus. It will prepare entries for the blog of the formal seminars, host the scholars invited to participate in the formal seminars, and prepare questions and comments for the formal seminars. This seminar will function as an advanced graduate research seminar.

The seminar will meet every week or so.