Join a multi-genre symposium, exploring multipolarity, value pluralism, and the evolving roles of the state and civil society in the post-liberal world. Over two days, the gathering will examine how various creative practices can serve as diverse modes of political reasoning.
Neoliberal globalization is in tatters: deregulation, trade liberalization, and promoting unfettered markets are no longer seen as the only “rational” economic activities. Instead, various other strategies have re-emerged, such as industrialization, friendshoring and state intervention into ostensibly free markets and international trade policies. The symposium Experimental Publics aims to address this critical moment by transitioning from theoretical discussions concerned with the crisis of our present social order to postconceptual collective experimentalism. Grounded in a pluralist understanding of practical reasoning, its ambition is to develop a cooperative, dialogical and practice-based approach that is sensitive to multiperspective views on the state of the world and the need to situate knowledge production while rearticulating the role of art.
The first day of the symposium is public and will feature contributions from Zhao Dingxin, Jacob Dreyer, Mi You, Heinz Bude, Shawn Chua, Danilo Scholz and Joost Vervoort. The opening session will explore the shortcomings of contemporary liberalism, particularly addressing issues of post-globalization, multipolarity, the evolving role of the state, and the influence of value pluralism in political reasoning. The second session will focus on the art of diplomacy and foresight. The first day will conclude with a lecture performance & concert by Terzij de Horde.
On the second day, an experimental workshop led by Pekko Koskinen will invite the participants to deepen their engagement with the issues raised during the talks and discussions from the first day, using game mechanisms. The workshop day also features an adaptation of his Crit Club series by the artist Cem A. which will invite participants to engage in alternative modes of debate through Ping Pong. Throughout the workshop, we aim to further illuminate the contradictions of our present time and explore possible pathways for alternative futures.
You can join the Symposium on October 26th without registration. If you want to join the second day please send a mail including a brief introduction of your practice and interest in the workshop to andreas.niegl@uni-kassel.de.