I believe that we, Argentineans, we South Americans, are in an analogous situation: We can handle all European themes, handle them without superstition, with an irreverence which can have, and already does have, fortunate consequences

— Borges, El escritor argentino y la tradición (1957)

Now that critique has developed its own canon and figures, with annual critical legal conferences, journals and publishing projects, it is more interesting than ever to have a look to the outsiders of mainstream Anglophone critical scholarship, those who have developed trajectories of critique in other linguistic circles and reputational networks. Argentinean critical legal theory still remains as the most creative, unexplored and interesting scholarship for many different reasons. Possibly the main reason is that it has always been directed to understanding (or placing) critique in a struggle over its own experience. Post-colonial, post-dictatorship, post-crisis, Argentinean scholars have been able to produce writings trying to address the experience of trauma, the emergence of innovative literature and the role of law after the disappearance of the state. Although English scholars have appreciated the work of Ernesto Laclau, the core of critical legal theory still reminds a blind spot due to the international politics of translation. Among these unknown reservoir, Enrique Mari, Enrique Kozicki, and, more recently, Claudio Martyniuk, Roberto Gargarella, Oriana Seccia and Leticia Barrera, have been able to imagine critical theory at the end of the twentieth and the beginnings of the twenty first century in many different and creative ways. This workshop seeks to bring together scholars working from and on Argentina to discuss the Argentinean critical theory landscape, the travelling of theory and its politics

Birkbeck, University of London
Saturday 5th April 2014
10am – 5pm Room 415 (Main Building)

This event is free but booking is essential — book your place here

For more information contact mail@hannah-franzki.de or jose.bellido@bbk.ac.uk.