C1 | Radicalism: Still Contradictory But Nevertheless Justifiable

Although the etymon of ‘radical’ harks back to the idea of grasping things by the root and bringing about transformative change, radicalism remains a contradictory idea. At once utopian and dystopian, attractive and repulsive, condonable and condemnable, radicalism is claimed by opposing and polarizing forces that paradoxically instill the idea’s own radical potential
at cross-purposes.
Rather than dismissing the contradictions wrought by radicalism, this seminar will engage with them as productive tensions that help to situate radicalism in different traditions of thought shedding light on its local and historical contexts. The seminar will therefore explore questions such as how does the weaponization of the terms ‚radical/radicalized‘ by the state, politicians,
or the media entangle dissenters in terrorism? What can we still learn when we engage with radicalism within a genealogy of the history of ideas? How can we liberate the concept of radicalism from extremism as well as from hegemonic western forces which use it to justify Islamophobia? Which radical actions are nevertheless justified and which ones deserve condemnation?
The seminar will also introduce students to the idea of radical activism under which we will explore notions of radical love and kindness, as well as explore the radical potential in forms such as (student)protests, riots, and social media. As such, the seminar will not only draw from eurocentric notions of radicalism (eg as to be found in some traditions of political theory or philosophy) but will showcase the diversity of radicalism by also drawing from the Black radical tradition, anti-colonial movements and feminist thought. Theoretical and historical texts on radicalism will be
made available to seminar participants and you will be expected to read all assigned texts before we are due to discuss them in the seminar. There will also be an opportunity for seminar participants to suggest texts that they wish to be incorporated as part of the syllabus and please email your suggestions to nyangulu@unibremen.de not later than two months
before the start of the seminar. During the seminar and depending on the number of participants, we will reserve time where each student or a group of students will present on radicalism in relation to a topic of their choice or they can choose a research topic from a list which will be made available in due course. The aim of this exercise is to give a chance to
the seminar participants to apply the theoretical discussions to a specific case study.

All seminar participants will be expected to prepare and take part in this exercise.

Seminarleitung: Dr. Deborah Nyangulu