Revolutionary Conjuncture without a Revolutionary Theory?
We are entering a non-hegemonic phase in global politics, commonly called a multipolar world. The last non-hegemonic phase, after the World Wars until 1990, was marked by struggles for national liberation and socialism. Unfortunately, the present conjuncture and non-hegemonic phase seem to exist without a revolutionary theory for structural change, that is, to overthrow capitalism.
In this lecture, the speaker will explain the correct nature of the conjuncture, along with the history of the relationship between conjuncture and structure. Based on this, the lecture will explain how identity politics, social movementism, and erstwhile long-protected projects of consciousness lack the revolutionary potential to bring about the structural change needed in the present conjuncture. This lecture draws on the theoretical contributions of Gramsci, Althusser, Stuart Hall, and Laclau to ground its analysis of conjuncture, structure, and the limits of contemporary political formations.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Syed M. Azeem is an Associate Professor at LUMS. As a leading legal scholar and academic, he specializes in Pakistan’s judicial history, labor law and postcolonial constitutionalism. With a PhD from York University, his acclaimed book “Law, State, and Inequality in Pakistan” explores the liberal legal project from a critical perspective. His work on labor rights and legal theory appears in top international journals. Beyond academia, he remains an active voice in working-class struggles and literary circles, writing in English, Urdu and Punjabi.
This session is free and open to all. Just visit the venue to attend it.
The Black Hole
Plot 5H, Street 100, G-11/3, Islamabad
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