Simon Critchley, Author at Public Seminar

Interviews

Simon Critchley on the Most Important Philosophical Book of the Twentieth Century

“It is my conviction that genuine philosophy can be explained simply and clearly”

July 1, 2024 • by Simon Critchley and Megan Robinson

Heidegger’s working closely within the philosophical tradition; he thinks that we need to get closer to how the world actually shows up practically and how others enter into that world....

Simon Critchley on the Most Important Philosophical Book of the Twentieth Century

Music

The Mysteries of Taylor Swift

A symposium on a theologico-political phenomenon

February 27, 2024 • by Jack Condie, Simon Critchley, Gwenda-lin Grewal and James Miller

In this Taylor Swift symposium, New School philosophers and critical theorists dissect the mysteries of the pop star....

Philosophy

Identity Politics and Culture Wars

Judith Butler, Cornel West, and Glenn Greenwald join moderator Simon Critchley in the 2021 Holberg Debate

July 18, 2022 • by Judith Butler, Glenn Greenwald, Simon Critchley and Cornel West

To some, identity-based politics has been embraced as an effective strategy to combat discrimination and marginalization. To others, it may seem that identity politics has resulted in culture wars involving violent conflicts and a destructive exchange of labels. ...

Music

David Bowie’s Future Revolution

Why the music made us feel so alive — and his death is still so hard to take

April 21, 2020 • by Simon Critchley

On the title track of Blackstar, released just a couple of days before his death, Bowie sings, “I’m not a pop star.” For me, and for his millions of fans, he was much more than that. He was someone who simply made us feel alive. This is what makes his ...

Philosophy

Black Socrates (1995)

February 25, 2020 • by Simon Critchley

It was a moment in my life when music and politics and philosophy converged in a kind of contrapuntal harmony. The black modernism of funk, soul, and reggae, went hand in hand with an anti-essentialist, anti-metaphysical idea of socialist strategy that was particularly indebted to the work of figures like Ernesto Laclau. My friends ...

Feature

#PurpleReigns: A Tribute to Prince

October 21, 2016 • by Julia Ott, Simon Critchley, Deva Woodly, Ricky Tucker, Claire Potter and Alyson Palmer

On September 23rd, Pam Tillis, Director of Public Programs for the New School for Public Engagement organized a tribute to Prince inspired by the Black Lives Matter’s hashtag entitled, #PurpleReigns: A Tribute to Prince. Leading the crowd in celebration were musician Alyson Palmer from the band BETTY, guitarist Mishti Roy, dancer Darlene Arrington, Ricky Tucker, ...

Uncategorized

The Ballad of Dorothy Parker

October 21, 2016 • by Simon Critchley

This submissions was part of the #PurpleReigns: A Tribute to Prince event hosted at the New School, Friday, September 23rd. Thanks to Aly and especially Pam Tillis. I want to thank Pam. We did a David Bowie event here at the New School in February which was very moving and a ...

Uncategorized

On New Political Identities

October 21, 2013 • by Simon Critchley

Below is an interview of Simon Critchley by founder and editor of the UK-based quarterly print magazine STIR, Jonny Gordon-Farleigh. It appears in the Autumn issue of STIR under the title "An Interview with Philosopher Simon Critchley."

The most challenging task of recent times has been to find a common ...