Courses

This course consists of in-depth engagements with recent works by leading feminist theorists and artists committed to anti-racist, anti-imperialist, activist ways of seeing, knowing, thinking and doing. Forging a participatory practice of “seeing with companions,” we will respond to the provocations posed by the course materials to go beyond critique, to reconceive feminist and queer epistemologies and pedagogies, and to imagine different ways of being in the world. We will study recent works by Ariella Azoulay, Judith Butler, Saidiya Hartman and Diana Taylor, as well as visual art works, performances, and films by Regina José Galindo, Arthur Jafa, Simone Leigh, Doris Salcedo, and Kara Walker, among others.

Students will write substantial responses to the required seminar reading and other materials each week, and share the responsibility of presenting and responding to the seminar discussions.

For the final assignment, initially presented in workshop form as “Introduction to Other Companions,” members of the seminar, working singly or collaboratively, will introduce the rest of us to one or more of their own “companions,” including a substantial account of a feminist theorist of visuality, embodiment or performance, and a practice of “seeing with companions.”

Catalogue contribution to online exhibition, on the topic of “Seeing With Companions,” will be due on the final day of the exam period.