About the conference
We are pleased to announce an upcoming conference that will explore the profound intersections of justice and crisis. Walter Benjamin's body of work has been consistently concerned with the concept of justice, which figures prominently in his reflections on categories such as law, violence, myth, and more. This conference aims to analyze Benjamin's multifaceted understanding of justice and its interplay with various other theoretical constructs. In the context of recurring global crises, the conference will explore how Benjamin's insights on justice remain relevant and essential for addressing contemporary challenges.
The idea of justice has been a fundamental concept in Walter Benjamin's thought since October 1916, when he wrote his "Notes on a Work on the Category of Justice." This concept is central not only to his essay "Toward a Critique of Violence," but also to his key essays on Karl Kraus, Franz Kafka, and Nikolai Lesskov. Justice is a unifying theme that runs through most of Benjamin's intellectual work, whether explicitly articulated or subtly implied. Such pursuits range from his investigations of Goethe's essays and his reflections on Trauerspiel, to the vast scope of the Arcades Project. Justice can be perceived as the driving force behind Benjamin's work, which is set against the recurrent element of mythical oppression. The work itself can be seen as an experimental field that explores various forms of understanding, contextualizing, and practicing justice. Benjamin's definition of a translator's task, objectives of literary criticism, proper methodology of historical study, the role of critical art, critical thinking, and philosophy are all located within this field of experimentation.
It should be noted that Benjamin developed his concept of justice in the context of a deep experiential and political crisis of modernity, which he sought to diagnose and analyze in his work. Today, as each new crisis becomes instantly global and overwhelming, the kind of response Benjamin demanded and sought, a reaction that is not merely corrective but truly responsible, committed, and engaged, seems more necessary and relevant than ever since his untimely death.
Justice as a central dimension of Benjamin's work is therefore the focus of our conference. We welcome all attempts at a systematic analysis of Benjamin's understandings and reconfigurations of the idea of justice concerning his reflections on such key categories as crisis, critique, law, violence, myth, guilt/debt, life, dialectics, utopia, messianism, sovereignty, state of exception, revolution, poverty, aura, trace, name, allegory, image, medium, constellation, translation, montage, gesture, body, space, time, history, memory, experience, narrative, quotation, and so on. However, we also encourage participants to engage with the possible productive tensions between Benjamin's and other thinkers' explorations of justice, as well as to explore the potential applications of Benjamin's thought in various fields of the humanities, political and artistic activity in general, with particular attention to the three key dimensions of textuality, visuality, and practice.
In other words, we would like to create a space for a fruitful discussion between Benjamin's understanding of justice and other theoretical approaches, as well as an in-depth analysis of the ways in which his insights and methods can function outside the scope of his oeuvre – all in response to contemporary crises.
Registration
Participation in the conference is free of charge.
Conference Sections
The conference is divided into thematic sections that encompass a wide range of Benjamin's interests and contributions:
- Law, Justice, Politics: This section delves into the intricate relationship between justice and politics in Benjamin's work, exploring his critique of law, state, and capitalism.
- Justice in Language and Linguistic Practice: Focusing on Benjamin's exploration of language and justice, this section probes his intricate interplay between words and justice.
- Justice in/of Images in Visual and Performative Arts: Analyzing Benjamin's emphasis on images as carriers of history, memory, and justice, this section bridges the gap between visual arts and Benjamin's philosophy.
- Bodily and Spatial Practices of Justice: This section explores how justice is experienced in the corporeal and spatial realms, as well as the interplay between body, space, and justice in Benjamin's work.
- History, Memory, and Justice: Delving into the relationship between historical narratives, memory, and justice, this section uncovers how Benjamin's concepts can shed light on contemporary struggles.
- Justice and Visions of Community: Examining Benjamin's vision of community and its relationship with justice, this section addresses how his ideas can shape modern conceptions of collective well-being.
- Justice and Crisis: Focusing on how Benjamin's ideas respond to crises, this section explores his reflections on crisis, critique, and justice in times of upheaval.
Organizer
Partners
The conference is co-sponsored by the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation.
Organizing committee
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Katarzyna Bojarska (SWPS University)
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Adam Lipszyc (IFiS PAN)
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Marta Olesik (ISP PAN)
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Mikołaj Ratajczak (IFiS PAN)
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Mateusz Skrzeczkowski (SWPS University)
Location
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SWPS University, Chodakowska 19/31, Warsaw
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Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFiS PAN), Nowy Świat 72, Warsaw