This talk is a part of the Composite Bodies seminar series. It is free and open to the public. Register for the Zoom link. 

In this talk, Karen Barad will expand upon their pathbreaking article “After the End of the World” (Theory & Event, 2019), which states that “quantum theory is shot through with the political.” In order to demonstrate, in relation to the theme of composite bodies, the highly political nature of not only our modes of meaning making, but of matter, they will outline the socio-political dimensions of their agential realist reworking of quantum physics, will briefly discuss the political nature of matter, followed by a discussion of the the article and its implications for notions of justice. Barad’s lecture will provide the ground for a conversation with Daniela Gandorfer, who is currently a postdoctoral scholar at UC Santa Cruz working with Barad, and the co-founder of the Logische Phantasie Lab, a research agency that investigates injustices resulting from political, legal, economic, social, physical, and environmental entanglements.

About the Speakers

Karen Barad is Distinguished Professor of Feminist Studies with affiliations in Philosophy, History of Consciousness, and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at UC Santa Cruz.

Daniela Gandorfer received her PhD in Comparative Literature at Princeton. Dr. Gandorfer is currently a postdoctoral scholar at UC Santa Cruz, working with the philosopher and quantum physicist Karen Barad.

Composite Bodies is a partnership between the Mahindra Humanities Center, the Northeastern Humanities Center, and Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Harvard. It is convened by Caroline Light (Senior Lecturer on Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality, Harvard University) and Patricia Williams (University Distinguished Professor of Law and Humanities, Northeastern University).