Reading Edward Said

We are very pleased to announce the return of the interdisciplinary critical and cultural theory reading group Quilting Points for its thirteenth consecutive year! 

This year, we will be reading the work of the Palestinian-American academic and literary critic Edward Said (1934-2003). Through regular reading group sessions, film screenings, and other events, we will discuss notions of empire, race, culture, and literary style. 

More than 20 years after his death, Edward Said remains one of the most influential figures in 20th century political and literary thought. His book Orientalism (1978) is one of the foundational texts of postcolonial theory, as Said's critiques of the production and dissemination of power and knowledge still carry weight in the humanities. Said also wrote extensively about Palestine, giving us the chance to discuss the history and recent developments of the Palestinian conflict through his ideas. Indeed, we will start our reading group with The Question of Palestine (1979), recently republished by Fitzcarraldo Editions.

Run by postgraduate researchers in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Cultures, the directors for this year will be Areej Alhejely, Aman Erfan, and Alberto Andrés Calvo. 

This year's meetings will take place in-person, with our first meeting of the year taking place on December 5th. More details coming soon. Looking forward to seeing you there!