Resisting Current Barbarisms
In times of polarisation, deep political divisions, environmental crises, and declining trust in democracy, multiple forms of resistance to today’s “barbaric” political and economic forces are not only necessary but imperative (Stengers, 2015). We cannot sit back and watch the rise of far-right ideologies, wars that destabilise regions, the spread of hoaxes and fake news, while billionaires manipulate social media platforms—promoting extreme dichotomies and eroding the very possibility of dialectical discussions, the cornerstone of democratic societies. Meanwhile, the far and extreme right cloaks itself in the rhetoric of anti-establishment resistance, co-opting the language of marginality to advance exclusionary agendas. How did we get here? How do we face and confront these challenges? Rather than waiting for catastrophe, we must actively shape new futures by resisting the barbarism of everyday life, a concept that, as Isabelle Stengers (2015) argues, requires both resistance and the simultaneous imagination of other ways of living.
Architecture, as both a manifestation of social values and an instrument of power, can either reinforce dominant ideologies or serve as a form of resistance. However, the idea is not to simply to oppose and resist destructive dominant systems but to compose new alliances, practices and forms of being together.
This seminar invites you to engage in open debates, drawing on feminist theories, climate justice, hacker movements, activisms, and care as forms of resistance. Together, we will critically examine the relationships between power, identity, and the built environment; envision alternative futures; and develop strategies for collective organisation and resistance.
The seminar is structured around fortnightly online guest lectures with speakers from different parts of the world and diverse backgrounds. Through curated readings and discussions, we will explore cultures of resistance in architecture, art, music, film, and literature offering a multidisciplinary framework for the future of architectural practice. Together, we will construct a space for dialogue, negotiation, and transformative action. To resist is to insist on the possibility of something different.
This seminar employs a combination of thematic discussions, critical readings, and guest lectures to engage students in an interdisciplinary exploration of resistance in architecture and society. Through fortnightly seminars, students will critically analyse texts, case studies, and cultural practices, while guest lectures will provide diverse perspectives from international scholars, activists, and practitioners. By the end of the course, students will be expected to submit and present a critical paper, demonstrating their ability to synthesise theoretical insights, apply analytical frameworks, and articulate their position on the role of architecture and spatial practices in resisting contemporary forms of oppression.
Literature
Butler, Judith. Notes Toward a Performative Theory of Assembly. Harvard University Press, 2015.
De Certeau, Michel. The Practice of Everyday Life. University of California Press, 1984.
Federici, Silvia. Re-enchanting the World: Feminism and the Politics of the Commons. PM Press, 2018.
Habraken, N.J. The Structure of the Ordinary: Form and Control in the Built Environment. MIT Press, 1998.
Harvey, David. Spaces of Global Capitalism: Towards a Theory of Uneven Geographical Development. Verso, 2006.
Harvey, David. Rebel Cities: From the Right to the City to the Urban Revolution. Verso, 2012.
hooks, bell. Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center. South End Press, 1984.
Klein, Naomi. This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate. Simon & Schuster, 2014.
Lorde, Audre. The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House. Penguin Classics, 2018.
Sennett, Richard. The Fall of Public Man. W.W. Norton, 1992.
Sorkin, Michael. All Over the Map: Writing on Buildings and Cities. Verso, 2011.
Stengers, Isabelle. In Catastrophic Times: Resisting the Coming Barbarism. Open Humanities Press, 2015.
Tronto, Joan. Moral Boundaries: A Political Argument for an Ethic of Care. Routledge, 1993.
Termine
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Guest Lecture at either 13:00–14:30 or 17:00–18:30 (not at both times)
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Seminar
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Guest Lecture at either 13:00–14:30 or 17:00–18:30 (not at both times)
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Seminar
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Guest Lecture at either 13:00–14:30 or 17:00–18:30 (not at both times)
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Mid Presentations
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Guest Lecture at either 13:00–14:30 or 17:00–18:30 (not at both times)
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Guest Lecture at either 13:00–14:30 or 17:00–18:30 (not at both times)
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Seminar
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Guest Lecture at either 13:00–14:30 or 17:00–18:30 (not at both times)
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Final Presentations