Epistemische Gewalt. Was hat die Akademie damit zu tun?
Dieses Seminar findet in enger Kooperation mit dem von Jakob Krameritsch geleiteten Seminar „Rückständigkeitsperformances im Prater-Thiergarten. Was hat die Akademie damit zu tun?“ statt. Deshalb schlagen wir allen Interessierten vor, beide Seminare, die auch direkt aufeinander folgend abgehalten werden, zu besuchen. (Beide Lehrenden werden in beiden Seminaren immer anwesend sein.)
Abstract
Das Seminar beschäftigt sich mit Theorien der epistemischen Gewalt sowie Forschungsethiken, die weniger gewaltvolle Forschungspraktiken möglich machen wollen. Zentrale Stationen werden Texte von folgenden Autor_innen sein: Miranda Fricker, Kristie Dotson, Linda Tuhiwai-Smith, Saidiya Hartman, Eve Tuck, Linda Martín Alcoff, Ann Laura Stoler, Ursula K. Le Guin, Avery Gordon, M. NoubeSe Philip, Walter Benjamin, Ranajit Guha.
Alle genannten Texte werden mit Blick auf das Gebäude für die Bildhauereiklassen der Akademie diskutiert, welches im SoSe im Zentrum eines Seminars von Jakob Krameritsch stehen wird. Denn das Gebäude der Bildhauereiklasse der Akademie steht auf dem Gelände des ehemaligen „Thiergartens am Schüttl“, einem Zoo im Prater, der sich im späten 19. Jahrhundert als bürgerlich-modernes Gegenstück zur kaiserlichen Menagerie in Schönbrunn zu etablieren versuchte. Ab 1896 spezialisierte sich dieses Unternehmen auf die Schaustellungen von rassialisierten, exotisierten und infantilisierten Menschengruppen in einem bis dahin einzigartigem Ausmaß in Europa. Aufgabe der Menschengruppen war es, Rückständigkeit zu performen. Diese „rassistischen Wahrnehmungsübungen“ (Karin Schneider) dienten der Stabilisierung kolonialer Hierarchien, der Versicherung sich an der Zivilisationsspitze zu befinden.
Epistemische Gewalt ermöglichte diese rassistisch grundierte, profitorientierte, moderne Unterhaltungsindustrie, die den europäischen Markt mit immer spektakuläreren Shows versorgte. Durch epistemische Gewalt wurde es erst denkbar und möglich, auch Menschen unter Tieren zur Schau zu stellen. Epistemische Gewalt zieht sich ebenso durch die zeitgenössische Rezeption und mediale Berichterstattung. Sie kennzeichnet auch die heutige Quellenlage: die Stimmen der Performer_innen bzw. zur Performance Gezwungenen fehlen fast gänzlich. Und, schlussendlich, zeigt sich epistemische Gewalt auch im heutigen öffentlichen Raum: Ein „spurenarmes Verschwinden“ (Werner Michael Schwarz) kennzeichnet die Nachgeschichte, nichts im städtischen Raum erinnert an diese Menschenschauen, die ein Kulminationspunkt österreichischer Kolonialgeschichte sind.
Von den Teilnehmer_innnen wird erwartet, dass sie vorab Fragen zu den gemeinsam diskutierten Texten schriftlich beantworten. Zudem können kleine Beiträge zu vorgeschlagenen (oder selbst eingebrachten) Themen erarbeiten werden. Dies kann allein oder im Team passieren.
Kurs-Informationen, Texte, Literaturlisten, Folien von Beiträgen etc. werden laufend auf Moodle gestellt.
Epistemic violence. What does the Academy have to do with it? This seminar is being held in close cooperation with the seminar led by Jakob Krameritsch, that is entitled ‘Performances of backwardness in the Prater-Thiergarten. What does academia have to do with it?’ We therefore recommend that anyone interested attend both seminars, which are being held directly after one another. (Both lecturers will be present at both seminars.) Abstract The seminar deals with theories of epistemic violence and research ethics that aim to enable less violent research practices. Key texts will be by the following authors: Miranda Fricker, Kristie Dotson, Linda Tuhiwai-Smith, Saidiya Hartman, Eve Tuck, Linda Martín Alcoff, Ann Laura Stoler, Ursula K. Le Guin, Avery Gordon, M. NoubeSe Philip, Walter Benjamin, Ranajit Guha. All of the texts mentioned will be discussed with reference to the building of the Academy's sculpture classes, which will be the focus of a seminar by Jakob Krameritsch in the summer semester. This is because the Academy's sculpture building is situated on the site of the former ‘Thiergarten am Schüttl’, a zoo in the Prater park that attempted to establish itself in the late 19th century as a bourgeois, modern counterpart to the imperial menagerie in Schönbrunn. From 1896 onwards, this enterprise specialised in exhibiting racialised, exoticised and infantilised groups of people on a scale that was unprecedented in Europe at the time. The task of these groups of people was to perform backwardness. These ‘racist perception exercises’ (Karin Schneider) served to stabilise colonial hierarchies and to reassure the public that they were at the pinnacle of civilisation. Epistemic violence enabled this racist, profit-oriented, modern entertainment industry, which supplied the European market with increasingly spectacular shows. Moreover it was epistemic violence that made it conceivable and possible to put people on display alongside animals. Epistemic violence also permeates contemporary reception of and media reporting on the so-called human zoos. It also characterises today’s source material: the voices of the performers or those forced to perform are almost completely absent. And, finally, epistemic violence is also evident in today's public space: a ‘trace-less disappearance’ (Werner Michael Schwarz) characterises the aftermath; nothing in the urban space reminds us of the human shows, which are a culmination of Austrian colonial history. Participants are expected to answer questions about the texts discussed in class in writing in advance. In addition, short contributions on suggested (or self-proposed) topics are very welcome. This can be done individually or in teams. Course information, texts, literature lists, slides from presentations, etc. will be posted on Moodle ongoingly.
Epistemic violence. What does the Academy have to do with it? This seminar is being held in close cooperation with the seminar led by Jakob Krameritsch, that is entitled ‘Performances of backwardness in the Prater-Thiergarten. What does academia have to do with it?’ We therefore recommend that anyone interested attend both seminars, which are being held directly after one another. (Both lecturers will be present at both seminars.) Abstract The seminar deals with theories of epistemic violence and research ethics that aim to enable less violent research practices. Key texts will be by the following authors: Miranda Fricker, Kristie Dotson, Linda Tuhiwai-Smith, Saidiya Hartman, Eve Tuck, Linda Martín Alcoff, Ann Laura Stoler, Ursula K. Le Guin, Avery Gordon, M. NoubeSe Philip, Walter Benjamin, Ranajit Guha. All of the texts mentioned will be discussed with reference to the building of the Academy's sculpture classes, which will be the focus of a seminar by Jakob Krameritsch in the summer semester. This is because the Academy's sculpture building is situated on the site of the former ‘Thiergarten am Schüttl’, a zoo in the Prater park that attempted to establish itself in the late 19th century as a bourgeois, modern counterpart to the imperial menagerie in Schönbrunn. From 1896 onwards, this enterprise specialised in exhibiting racialised, exoticised and infantilised groups of people on a scale that was unprecedented in Europe at the time. The task of these groups of people was to perform backwardness. These ‘racist perception exercises’ (Karin Schneider) served to stabilise colonial hierarchies and to reassure the public that they were at the pinnacle of civilisation. Epistemic violence enabled this racist, profit-oriented, modern entertainment industry, which supplied the European market with increasingly spectacular shows. Moreover it was epistemic violence that made it conceivable and possible to put people on display alongside animals. Epistemic violence also permeates contemporary reception of and media reporting on the so-called human zoos. It also characterises today’s source material: the voices of the performers or those forced to perform are almost completely absent. And, finally, epistemic violence is also evident in today's public space: a ‘trace-less disappearance’ (Werner Michael Schwarz) characterises the aftermath; nothing in the urban space reminds us of the human shows, which are a culmination of Austrian colonial history. Participants are expected to answer questions about the texts discussed in class in writing in advance. In addition, short contributions on suggested (or self-proposed) topics are very welcome. This can be done individually or in teams. Course information, texts, literature lists, slides from presentations, etc. will be posted on Moodle ongoingly.
- Trainer/in: Ruth