Under this title, Dr. Elad Lapidot of Freie Universitat Berlin will introduce his critical reflections on anti-Semitism and, more importantly, on the critique of anti-Semitism (anti-anti-Semitism). His critique is done from the perspective of political epistemology, namely the relation between knowledge theory and political theory. He indicates the problematic role that anti-anti-Semitic discourse plays in post-WWII and contemporary political epistemology, in disassociating knowledge from politics. There is a certain problematic figure of the Jew, he argues, that anti-anti-Semitism and anti-Semitism share. Following Dr. Lapidot's initial presentation, he will be joined by interlocutor, Dr. Gil Anidjar of Columbia University. This conversation will draw on the works of Heidegger, Adorno, Sartre, Arendt, Badiou, and Nancy. Time for Q&A will be provided at the conclusion of the event.
This event is presented in co-sponsorship with the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies and the Department of Religion at Columbia University.
Light, kosher refreshments will be provided.
Dr. Elad Lapidot is a researcher and lecturer for philosophy and Talmud at the Freie Universität, the Universität der Künste, the Humboldt University and the Center for Jewish Studies in Berlin. His research concerns the conjunction between contemporary philosophy and rabbinic thought. He has been translating the works of Levinas, Husserl, Heidegger and Hegel to Hebrew. Among his publications: Etre sans mot dire : La logiqe de ‘Sein und Zeit’ (book, 2010); "Translating Philosophy" (essay, 2012); and "Fragwürdige Sprache. Zur Phänomenologie der Heiligen Zunge" (essay, 2013).
Dr. Gil Anidjar is Professor and Chair of the Department of Religion; as well as a Professor in the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAAS); and the Institute for Comparative Literature and Society (ICLS). He is the author of, among other works, The Jew, the Arab: A History of the Enemy; Semites: Race, Religion, Literature; and Blood: a Critique of Christianity.