'The Matter of Resistance'
'The Matter
of Resistance'
A One-Day Conference
at the University
of Warwick
Spring, 2016
A One-Day Conference at the University of Warwick
Friday, April 29th, 2016
CallRoom
for Papers
2.004, WBS
Confirmed Speakers:
Call for Papers
CRPLA
CRPLA
Warwick English
& Comparative
Literary Studies
Prof. Howard Caygill (Kingston)
Dr. Priyamvada Gopal (Cambridge)
Deadline for Submissions:
Prof. Thomas Docherty (Warwick)
February 20th, 2016
!
!
Confirmed Speakers:
There is an escalating crisis in resistance studies. A decade ago, there was already such
Prof.
Caygill (Kingston)
variation Howard
in conceptualizing
resistance that 'little consensus on the definition of resistance'
Dr. Priyamvada
(Cambridge)
existed,
as 'the term Gopal
resistance
remains loosely defined, allowing some scholars to see it almost
Prof.
Thomas
Docherty
(Warwick)
everywhere and others almost nowhere.' It seems both conclusions ring true today, yet in recent
years there appears to be an arising need to understand the term. Between the Arab Spring and
what has fallen in its wake, such as ISIS, Occupy grew, along with Mexico's Disappeared, Hong
There is
an escalating
crisis Anti-Austerity,
in resistance studies.
decadeLives
ago, there
wasLebanon's
already such
Kong's Umbrella
Movement,
Greece's
USA'sA Black
Matter,
variationand
in the
conceptualizing
resistance tothat
'little
consensus
on the
of age
resistance'
#YouStink,
UK's Free Education,
name
a few.
What has
beendefinition
called 'the
of
existed,
'the
term
resistance has
remains
allowingbysome
scholars
to see
it almost
uprising'
andas
'the
age
of resistance'
mostloosely
recentlydefined,
been observed
social
scientists,
such
as
everywhere
almost
nowhere.'
It seems
conclusions
today, yet inand
recent
Costas
Douzinas,andasothers
an age
where
philosophers
andboth
social
theoristsring
lacktrue
participation
years thereinappears
to be an arising need to understand the term. Between the Arab Spring and
understanding
'resistance'.
what has fallen in its wake, such as ISIS, Occupy grew, along with Mexico's Disappeared, Hong
Umbrella
Greece's Anti-Austerity,
Lives Matter,
2015Kong's
has already
seenMovement,
a rise in publications
on 'resistance,'USA's
but thisBlack
conference
seeks toLebanon's
both
#YouStink,
andand
there-assemble
UK's Free resistance
Education,studies
to name
a few. What
hasvarious
been called
further
complicate
by bringing
together
fields 'the
withage
a of
uprising'
and
'the
age
of
resistance'
has
most
recently
been
observed
by
social
scientists,
such
common and particular task. We ask, how does resistance appear materially, in order to ask how as
Costas
Douzinas, and
as an
age where
and social
theoristsresolve,
lack participation
it can
be recognized
defined?
With philosophers
a material focus,
and hesitant
we hope to and
understanding
in
'resistance'.
encounter new practices, impasses and queries, and we do so as problems immediately surface
when resistance is strictly perceived as a physical object of attention, and not also as an
2015 has
already seen
a rise an
in intent,
publications
onor'resistance,'
this conference
invisibility,
a serialized
process,
erasure,
void. For but
example,
celebratoryseeks
riotstoofboth
further
complicate
re-assemble
resistance
studies
by bringing
together
various
fields with a
fandom
in the
U.S. haveand
been
distinguished
by ESPN
commentary
by their
"white"
participants,
common
task.ofWe
ask, Lives
how does
resistance
appear occurring
materially,within
in order
ask how
in contrast
to and
the particular
"black" riots
Black
Matter:
two patterns
thetosame
it
can
be
recognized
and
defined?
If
demonstrable,
is
such
an
appearance
always
resistance?
cities with similar behavior. Football matches, likewise, produce the violent zeal and outcry of
With appearing
a material to
focus,
and hesitant
to encounter
new
impasses
protests,
be resistant
but resolve,
are not we
so, hope
thereby
obfuscating
thepractices,
characteristics
of and
queries,
and
we
do
so
as
problems
immediately
surface
when
resistance
is
strictly
perceived
material appearances of resistance. Does 'resistance,' then, remain merely an ideal concept, in as a
physical
of attention,
also as an 'determinism'
invisibility, a serialized
an intent,it,erasure,
thought
only,object
disconnected
fromand
thenot
'aesthetics',
or 'chaos'process,
which governs
or
or
void.
For
example,
celebratory
riots
of
fandom
in
the
U.S.
have
been
distinguished
by
does resistance also necessitate acts of non-appearance, since active non-participation, in ESPN
a
commentary
by their "white"
participants,
in contrast
to the "black"
Black Lives
Gandhian
and Thoreauvian
fashion,
may be required
for symbolic
acts to riots
then of
re-appear?
ActsMatter:
of
two patterns occurring
within the same
withcould
similarbebehavior.
likewise,
non-participation
and non-appearance,
for cities
instance,
required Football
against matches,
consumerism,
produce the
violent zeal and outcry of protests, appearing to be resistant but are not so, thereby
surveillance,
or individualism.
obfuscating the characteristics of material appearances of resistance. Does 'resistance,' then,
merely
an ideal be
concept,
in thought
only, disconnected
from the
'determinism'
But remain
how can
the invisible
material,
and produce
resistance? James
C. 'aesthetics',
Scott has re-defined
or 'chaos'
which
governs transcripts'
it, or does which
resistance
also necessitate
acts of non-appearance,
'resistance'
from
the 'hidden
secretly
organize 'subaltern'
movements, andsince
active
in art'
a Gandhian
and Thoreauvian
fashion,
be markets.'
required for
symbolic
James
Elkinnon-participation,
relocates 'resistant
as that which
'does not circulate
onmay
global
Various
acts to then
of non-participation
andRancière
non-appearance,
for instance,
could be
philosophies
rely re-appear?
on resistantActs
non-appearance,
as Jacques
focuses upon
the 'no-count'
required
against
consumerism,
surveillance,
or
individualism.
members of society, like the gypsies, who do not fully register in society yet form its boundaries.
And the philosophy of science is advancing its methods of studying the appearances of nonBut how can the invisible be material, and produce resistance? James C. Scott has re-defined
'resistance' from the 'hidden transcripts' which secretly organize 'subaltern' movements, and
James Elkin relocates 'resistant art' as that which 'does not circulate on global markets.' Various
philosophies rely on resistant non-appearance, as Jacques Rancière focuses upon the 'no-count'
members of society, like the gypsies, who do not fully register in society yet form its boundaries.
And the philosophy of science is advancing its methods of studying the appearances of nonappearance to engage with dark-matter, gravitational waves and neutrinos. Poetry, film, drama or
dance has long privileged the space, pause or silence between other symbols of resistance. Under
this light, even 'free speech acts' may appear only as a series of material consequences
recognized in retrospect, thus a complex process of appearing and non-appearing instances (as
the case of Charlie Hebdo may suggest).
This conference seeks to benefit from its unique, interdisciplinary collaboration, on one hand,
and its particular focus upon the complex materiality of resistance, on the other. Potential
questions raised by the conference include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
How do resistant formations appear, or do so through non-appearance?
Is there a single image or act of resistance, or is it a process requiring numerous acts?
Can there be a theory of resistance that exists apart from its material practice?
Can resistance be defined by how it appears?
Can resistance be a prescribed practice of appearance or must it be spontaneous?
Must there be a resistance that incorporates instances of non-appearance?
Papers are sought from such areas as cultural studies, literature, philosophy, poetry, film,
philosophy of science, education, history, cultural geography, politics, sociology, and the arts.
Examples of topics could include, but are certainly not limited to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
mapping specific behavior, motions or patterns of a resistant movement
tracing involvement with resistant performances or surface readings of poetry, film,
drama, or fine arts
engaging practical and ethical tensions of non-participation
introducing schemas of non-appearance in philosophies of science
outlining resistance in changes in gender, race, ecology
following the conditions of resistant publication and circulation
diagnosing the developing bodily symptoms of a resistant subject
problematizing the resistant discourse of academics in academia
tracking resistant rifts within critical university studies
critiquing the historical debates involved in today's resistance studies
Please send abstracts of 250 words for a 20 minute paper, & a 100-word biography to:
mattersofresistance@gmail.com
Deadline for Submissions: January 20th, 2016
Also send general inquiries to: mattersofresistance@gmail.com
Organizers:
Joseph Shafer
j.shafer@warwick.ac.uk
Sourit Bhattacharya
sourit.bhattacharya@warwick.ac.uk
Confirmed Speaker Information:
Professor Howard Caygill is the Professor of Modern European Philosophy at Kingston
University, London. His ranging work has focused on such figures as Kant, Kafka, Benjamin,
and Levinas, and Prof Caygill's recent work, featured in his 2013 book, On Resistance: A
Philosophy of Defiance, showcases a comprehensive study of both the politics and philosophy of
resistance.
Dr. Priyamvada Gopal teaches in the Faculty of English at Cambridge University, where she
primarily focuses on colonial and postcolonial literatures. Her subfields include British and
American literature, translation, gender and feminism, Marx and critical theory, the politics of
empire and globalization. Her historical and political work, from Literary Radicalism in India to
After Iraq: Reframing Postcolonial Studies, precedes her current project entitled Half the Story:
Anti-Colonialism in the Making of Britain.
Professor Thomas Docherty teaches in the English and Comparative Literary Studies Department
at the University of Warwick, where his teaching ranges from the renaissance to the present,
while specializing in the philosophy of literary criticism, critical theory, and cultural history in
relation primarily to European philosophy and literature. With his most recent book, Universities
at War (2014), Docherty continues to study with how resistance can and cannot occur within the
power dynamics of the University.