Judith Butler: on COVID-19, the politics of non-violence, necropolitics, and social inequality

TL;DR

Judith Butler discusses the connection between non-violence, social inequality, and the conditions for a more just and equitable world.

Transcript

welcome everyone to this very special event with judith butler on the force of non-violence this event is brought to you by the white chapel gallery in partnership with verso books as part of feminist resistance strategies for the 21st century a program marking verso's 50th anniversary and also by the british library whose exhibition unfinished bus... Read More

Key Insights

• 👥 The event is a collaboration between the White Chapel Gallery, Verso Books, and the British Library, marking Verso's 50th anniversary and the upcoming opening of the British Library's exhibition on women's rights. The event is free, but attendees are encouraged to donate to Black Lives Matter charities or anti-racism groups.
• 📚 Judith Butler is a renowned philosopher and advocate for marginalized communities, particularly those affected by discrimination and oppression. She will be discussing non-violence, social inequality, necropolitics, and the potential for a politics of life.
• 🌍 The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified social and economic inequalities, exposing the existing disparities among marginalized and vulnerable populations. The pandemic also highlights the interconnectedness of global vulnerability and the importance of collective action.
• 💔 The pandemic has disrupted the initial hope for a new beginning, as the reopening of the economy often prioritizes economic health over public health and exacerbates social inequalities. The false narrative of the economy as a living organism sacrifices human lives and perpetuates violence.
• 📉 Graphs have become a dominant form of representation during the pandemic, but their use relies on a metric of grievability, showcasing the number of deaths and sanitizing the violence and sanitizing deaths. The reliance on graphs raises questions about alternative representations and their potential to challenge violence.
• 🌍 The pandemic brings attention to the systemic racism within healthcare systems, with marginalized communities, particularly people of color, facing higher rates of infection and mortality. This systemic racism intersects with other forms of violence, such as police violence against Black individuals and the structural violence of economic inequality.
• ✊ A politics of non-violence must be accompanied by a commitment to radical social equality, challenging existing structures of power and violence. Non-violence should not become a defense of the status quo, but rather a transformative approach to dismantling systems of oppression.
• 🙌 Recognizing radical interdependence and our relational nature is central to understanding non-violence. By understanding our fundamental vulnerability and interconnectedness, we can challenge notions of individualism and embrace collective care and responsibility.
• 🧠 A politics of life should focus on creating equitable conditions for life and challenging the structures that perpetuate violence and inequality. This requires rethinking notions of grievability, expanding our understanding of care, and resisting reactionary ideologies that manipulate the concept of life.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does the pandemic exacerbate social inequality and violence?

The pandemic intensifies social inequalities and exposes systemic racism, as marginalized communities are disproportionately affected and denied adequate healthcare.

Q: How does the neoliberal focus on the economy perpetuate violence and social inequality?

The prioritization of economic health over public health during the pandemic exposes the willingness to sacrifice lives and perpetuates social inequality and violence.

Q: How does interdependency challenge individualistic notions of self-interest?

Interdependency highlights the relational nature of our lives, challenging individualistic notions of self-interest and emphasizing the need for equitable conditions of life for all.

Q: How does the concept of grievability shape the valuation of lives during the pandemic?

The concept of grievability determines whose lives are valued and protected, with marginalized communities often deemed less valuable and their deaths not seen as a significant loss.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Judith Butler explores the impact of the pandemic on social inequality and violence.

• She argues that the pandemic reveals systemic racism and economic inequalities that contribute to the lettings of lives.

• Butler emphasizes the importance of interdependency and a politics of life rooted in non-violence and equality.