THE GLOBAL CONDITION

The Living Commons Collective Magazine, N. 1, February 2018

          The global moment is confirmation of the escalating cycle of violence manifested in displacement, dispossession and ultimately death. Daily we witness and are affected by the exodus of refugees from Syria – of a magnitude not seen since World War 2 and the exclusion of those same refugees at the borders of European nations and their internment in places like ‘the jungle’ in Calais. Daily there are accounts of the black and brown bodies that are being killed by police, militia and governments in the US, Brazil and elsewhere. And always this is played out in the context of continuing global colonial violence against racial and ethnic minorities and Indigenous peoples.

          The workshop brought together artists, filmmakers, architects, curators, performers, and academics around the theme of “The Global Condition: Dispossession, Displacement, and Death.” It provided a context for exchange and dialog beyond the typical institutional and disciplinary boundaries of cultural and academic work. During  two days,  workshop participants  reflected upon the displacement, dispossession and death that attends the current global moment. A few of the questions engaged include: How do we understand the violence that attends these moments? What ethical responses can be made to the violence? Is it possible to dismantle the architecture of oppression in any of its myriad iterations and forms including Empire, capitalism, neo-liberalism and settler colonialism? While the workshop may include presentations of a more traditional, text-based nature it is intended that this space will also engage with responses from a range of other disciplines. The ultimate objective is to foster dialogue across disciplines and modes of thinking to engage with the questions that flow from the workshop title.

Workshop organizers: Alyosha Goldstein, Mark Harris, Denise Ferreira da Silva