What does it take to properly humanitarianise politics? How can we account for the failures of the humanitarian past? Does the humanitarian impetus even have a role in play in societies that have seemingly abandoned their utopian ambitions? Add

Ep. 7 On Civil War (David Theo Goldberg)

Jan 5th, 2021 30m 20s

What does it mean to utter the words civil war today? And how can the concept allow us to make sense of the dangerous politics times in which we live? Addressing such questions, Professor David Theo Goldberg asks us to reflect upon the racial

Ep. 6 Violence, Class & Philosophical Self-Immolation (Simon Critchley)

Nov 28th, 2020 56m 43s

In the first in our conversations series, Simon Critchley provides his reflections on the way violence has appeared/changed in his work; the question of class; the enduring memory of Hillsborough and Liverpool; the dangers of a moral certainty

Ep.5 Ugly Freedoms (Elisabeth Anker)

Oct 26th, 2020 35m 4s

What is the relationship between violence & freedom? Might we look upon freedom as an ugly concept? And can we rescue something from the ugliness of freedom? Such questions are addressed in this episode by Elisabeth Anker, who is an associate p

Ep. 4 A Natural History of Evil (Zygmunt Bauman: 1925-2017)

Oct 10th, 2020 49m 32s

We recorded this lecture with Zygmunt Bauman for the Histories of Violence project a few years before his passing. One of the most brilliant and challenging lectures on violence, it warrants our continued attention and engagement. Bauman's warn

Ep. 3 Contesting the memory of slavery & racism (Ana Lucia Araujo)

Oct 5th, 2020 1h 1m

Professor Ana Lucia Araujo provides a critical introduction into the contested nature of slavery and how it connects to questions of memorialisation and racism in the world today.

Ep. 2 Walter Benjamin Now (James Martel)

Sep 28th, 2020 41m 9s

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Walter Benjamin's death, Professor James Martel provides a critical introduction into the continued relevance of his ideas, including exposing the mythical violence of the state along with the inherent