James Haile III, Philosophy Department/English Department

Watch a recording of the talk on Youtube.

Much of Black philosophy, in particular, social and political philosophy, is concerned with what Haile calls a utopian vision. Haile argues that this vision is dependent on a speculative fiction about subjectivity and freedom borrowed largely from the Euro Modern liberal tradition. His talk argues that Euromodern tradition, while speculative in nature, is not sufficient to think or enact Black freedom and Black subjectivity. Instead, Haile argues what is needed is Afrosurrealism and Black speculative fiction. This presentation argues that the aesthetics of Afrosurrealism is the vehicle through which Black speculative fiction navigates and animates these critical concepts. 

Taking an interdisciplinary approach, Haile’s talk utilizes philosophy, literary studies, film studies, and Black studies, to analyze W.E.B. Du Bois’ “The Comet,” Frederick Douglass’ “Heroic Slave,” James Baldwin’s “Letter to my Nephew,” and Saidiya Hartman’s “The End of White Supremacy: An American Romance”. Finally, Haile analyzes Boots Riley’s film Sorry to Bother You and Lena Waithe’s Queen & Slim as cinematic encapsulations of these literary and philosophical arguments.