Dissertation
My dissertation attempts to think through the role of the critic in democratic political culture by “engaging Socrates.” Since Socrates so often stands as an exemplar for many different styles of critical activity, both in political discourse and in popular culture, I address the roots of these many figures of Socrates by examining the multiple aspects of Socrates as they appear in Plato’s dialogues. Starting from the different metaphors that Socrates uses to describe himself – the stingray, the master of erotics, the midwife, the practitioner of the true political art, and the gadfly – I parse these different strands of Socrates’ character and assess their coherence. While each of these descriptions captures a different angle of Socrates’ activity vis-à-vis Athenian democracy, I argue that together they also hold one essential aspect in common: Socrates’ strange relationship to Athens as both connected and disconnected, immanent in his criticism and yet radically so.
As strange both in the context of Athens and in relation to his interpreters, I argue that the figure of Socrates suggests a kind of political activity committed to disturbance and displacement while also working across, with, and against conventional boundaries and languages. Moreover, I maintain that this Socrates suggests new forms of critical associations that take up his practice of philosophy in democratic culture today.
Research Interests
My research begins from a deep concern with democracy and democratic culture in contemporary politics, a concern that I seek to explore through engaging the history of political thought. In my recent work this concern has focused on ancient political theory, in particular the thinkers and actors of ancient democratic Athens. At the same time, however, in the last year I have presented an essay on James Baldwin as a critic of American democracy and I have also continued work on a long-term project on the role of opinion in democratic culture. This latter project begins with ancient Athens but also extends to contemporary democratic theory and, in particular, the work of Jürgen Habermas. Thus I see my research agenda as akin to that of political theorists such as Martha Nussbaum or Michael Walzer – theorists with significant training in the history of political thought but who also seek to engage contemporary political life by thinking both with and against these historical figures and traditions.
Research Resources
I hope to post working papers here in the future. For now, here is my CV (updated 10/2009).