Key research themes
1. How did the political subjectivation and disidentification of May 68 students intersect with broader labor and social movements?
This theme investigates the forms of political subjectivity that emerged from the May 68 student protests through their engagement and identification with workers and marginalized groups. Central to these studies is a Rancièrean framework of disidentification and political emancipation, exploring how students interrupted socio-political orders by relating to the 'Other'—notably workers—and how this facilitated new political solidarities and subject formations. Understanding these dynamics elucidates May 68’s complex coalition-building legacy and its challenges for sustaining political agency across social cleavages.
2. What role did affective politics and emotional experiences play in the collective identities and mobilization of May 68 participants?
This theme focuses on the affective dimensions—such as joy, guilt, and collective happiness—experienced by participants during May 68 uprisings. It contrasts theories of collective guilt with the concept of 'public happiness' to explain how emotions underpin sustained political engagement and group cohesion. Examining these emotional registers helps uncover intangible yet pivotal factors that motivate and sustain social movements beyond formal organization, offering insights into the lived experience and sustainability of revolt.
3. How have cultural productions and intellectual reflections of and after May 68 embodied and critiqued its legacies and transformations?
This theme examines artistic and philosophical responses to May 68, particularly in cinema, philosophy, and intellectual historiography. It traces how filmmakers, poets, and thinkers both reflected on and reshaped the political, social, and cultural ruptures initiated by May 68. The works addressed consider feminist perspectives, the rise and critique of human rights discourse, avant-garde experimentation, and metaphysical rethinking, offering insight into May 68's enduring and contested impact on cultural modernity and political thought.