QUILTING POINTS:

Quilting Points returns for its seventh consecutive year with a new focus on Judith Butler. We are very pleased to announce the return of Quilting Points, an interdisciplinary critical and cultural theory reading group based at the University of Leeds. This year, we will be conducting a year-long discussion on the work of Judith Butler. Since the publication of her first two monographs, Subjects of Desire (1987) and Gender Trouble (1990), Butler’s theories on gender and identity, and power and language, are now widely recognised as cornerstones in the development of contemporary critical theory and philosophy . While Butler’s most notable impact has been in the fields of gender studies, feminist theory, queer theory, and ethics studies, there are few areas in the Humanities left untouched by her work. From her foundational notion of gender performativity to her recent and ongoing work on precarity, Butler’s intellectual range is both established and continually evolving. Ove...

Quilting Points returns for a sixth year with a new focus on Sara Ahmed. We’re delighted to announce the return of Quilting Points, an interdisciplinary, critical and cultural reading group and seminar series at the University of Leeds. This year we'll be facilitating a year-long discussion on the work of Sara Ahmed, one of the most prolific and influential contemporary thinkers currently working in the UK. Examining her monographs, essays and  blog entries  we'll look at how Ahmed has shaped the fields of postcolonial studies, feminism, queer theory, ethic studies and critical race theory. As an independent scholar and writer who scrutinises the operations of power in every day life, as well as institutions like the university, Ahmed's critical and intellectual range only looks set to widen in the future. As a group, we're looking forward to discussing and reading Ahmed while her critical project is still ongoing and we welcome individuals from across the universit...

Time : 3:30–5:30pm Date : Thursday 8th October 2015 Venue : SR01, Leeds Humanities Research Institute, 29–31 Clarendon Place ( campus map ) Main Text : Hall (2011) The neo-liberal revolution ( download ) Supplementary Text : Hall & O'Shea (2013) Common-sense neoliberalism ( download ) Each year Quilting Points conducts a close and critical reading of an influential thinker, examining a number of texts and fostering interdisciplinary critique. Everyone is welcome to attend, regardless of discipline or background, and all are invited to join the discussion. This year we take the work of Stuart Hall: cultural theorist, sociologist, public intellectual, and figurehead of British cultural studies. Over the course of the semester we will cover a cross section of Hall’s corpus, beginning with his last peer-reviewed article ‘The neo-liberal revolution’ (2011). We will also provide supplementary texts in the form of interviews, video lectur...

Our next meeting is Wednesday, May 20th. We will discuss Giorgio Agamben's "The State of Exception as a Paradigm of Government," which you can download here . Ryan Topper and Benjamin Chwistek, Quilting Points directors, will introduce the discussion. Agamben in Pasolini's The Gospel According to St Matthew We will meet in the Leeds Humanities Research Institute from 15:30-17:30. As always, all are welcome. Ben Chwistek and Ryan Topper Directors, Quilting Points 2014/2015

April 22nd: Michel Foucault, 'Parresia' Our first meeting back after the Easter break will be on April 22nd. In it we will be discussing the recently translated ' Parresia ' by Michel Foucault. Introducing the discussion will be Andrea Basso, PhD student in the School of Classics. We will meet in the Leeds Humanities Research Institute from 15:30-17:30. As always, all are welcome. Ben Chwistek and Ryan Topper Directors, Quilting Points 2014/2015

In our next meeting we will discuss Michel Foucault's "What is Enlightenment?" alongside Immanuel Kant's "An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment?" Dr. Simon Swift (Senior Lecturer in Critical and Cultural Theory) will introduce our discussion. The links to the readings can be found here: " What is Enlightenment? " and  " An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment? " As usual, we will meet in the Leeds Humanities Research Institute from 15:00-17:00, followed by a trip to a local pub. Ryan Topper and Ben Chwistek Directors, Quilting Points 2014/2015

In our next meeting we will be discussing two short texts: 'Return to History', which will be introduced by Dr Denis Flannery (Senior Lecturer in American Literature); and 'Different Spaces', which will be introduced by Professor Jane Taylor (Wole Soyinka Chair of Drama and Theatre Studies). The link to the readings can be found here: 'Different Spaces' ;   'Return to History' . As per usual, we will meet in the Leeds Humanities Research Institute from 15:00-17:00. After this we will head to a local pub. Ben Chwistek and Ryan Topper Directors, Quilting Points 2014/2015

Our next meeting is approaching. On Wednesday, November 5, we will be discussing " Nietzsche, Genealogy, History ," which you can access through the link. Dr. Stefan Skrimshire (Lecturer in Theology and Religious Studies) will be introducing the discussion. As always, we will meet in the Leeds Humanities Research Institute from 15:00-17:00, followed by a trip to a local pub. 29-31 Clarendon Place, Leeds Humanities Research Institute

After one meeting, this year looks like an exciting time to be a part of Quilting Points. Thanks to all who share our goal of promoting theoretical inquiry across academic disciplines. Our second meeting is approaching. On Wednesday, October 22nd, we will discuss "Two Lectures" from  Power/Knowledge . The lectures are found in chapter five of the link provided. For a separate PDF of "Two Lectures," click here . Dr. Thomas Campbell (Lecturer in Social Theory) will be introducing our discussion. As always, we will meet in the Leeds Humanities Research Institute from 15:00-17:00, followed by a trip to a local pub. 29-31 Clarendon Place, Leeds Humanities Research Institute

We are pleased to announce that Quilting Points' first meeting of the year is approaching. On Wednesday, October 8th, we will kick off what looks to be an exciting year with a discussion of Foucault's " The Subject and Power " from  Critical Inquiry  8.4 (1982). Ben Chwistek (PhD Student in School of Classics and Quilting Points co-director) will be introducing our discussion. Whether you are an avid Foucauldian or simply interested in understanding his work, you are welcome to join us. We will meet in the Leeds Humanities Research Institute from 15:00-17:00, followed by a trip to a local pub. 29-31 Clarendon Place, Leeds Humanities Research Institute