6 – SUBJECTS

Subjectivities & Subjugation – Gender, Generation, Class & Race

In what conditions do inter-individual and inter-social relations contribute to cohabitation and equitability? How to foster cosmopolitanism, intergenerational solidarities, and gender inclusiveness as assets for a common desirable and sustainable future?

Possible & non-exhaustive ideas of topics:

  • INTERSECTIONNALITY – In a classical way, we will reflect on how do gender, generation, race, and class, among other axes of power, intersect making some bodies more prone to experiencing discrimination?
  • REFLEXIVITY – The dominant ideology of liberal economy and performance can have perverse effects when, to encourage autonomy of women, social minorities and poor segments of the population it formulates an injunction that feeds and freezes the assignment of roles attributed to each. In the mirror, behind some postures of protest, the mobilization of the concepts of gender, race and class can naturalize the realities to which they relate and therefore reinforce certain dominant logics. We will then describe the complexity of the situations to understand how certain modes of protest are also a reflection of a form of incorporation, interiorization of assigned places and norms defined by totalitarian systems.
  • LIBERALIZATION or DISENGAGEMENT?– Through the promotion of individual responsibility liberal discourse and action can result in the resignation of the state to protect individuals. Within liberal ideology the individual is empowered to be the manager of himself, of his health, his career, his wealth, his sexuality and his gender. Still, does the system really change, reorganize hierarchies and provide individuals with the possibility to emancipate from essentialized places?
  • SUBJECTIVITY & SUBJUGATION – In some cases, the character of the foreigner feminized into a veiled foreigner, in a burqa, who must remain locked in his home so as not to disturb the indigenous public space. In other cases, women are exemplified while equalled with care and altruism. Pointing out anti models and normalizing identities can have similar effects: under the apparent emancipation of the selves, they become subjugation tools that equalize particular genders with specific class and race and then foster inequalities and the control of social categories designed as strangers.

Members: Wisnu Adihartono; Silvia Vignato.