“it cannot be denied that the university is a place of refuge, and it cannot be accepted that the university is a place of enlightenment” – The Undercommons

Inspired by Stefano Harney and Fred Moten’s The Undercommons, this group is a regular gathering where we spend time performing and writing in the mode of what these writers term “fugitive planning and black study.” This group meets every week at the GC during the semester for two hours. We spend the first hour “writing,” or quietly working on any of our tasks relating to our work as students and teachers. We then spend the second hour going around the room discussing what we worked on during the first hour, or anything else that may be on our mind. Everybody is encouraged to speak, but there are no requirements. Presence is enough.

The format of this group comes from my experiences at a similar group that was enormously successful. This practice allows us to find company and build friendships that survives the casual terror of the university. It allows us to work through and beyond any questions and doubts we might have about our research and teaching. It creates a community that mobilizes out of a common desire to get the most out of our time at the GC and leave this institution in the best possible of circumstances. I am tired of the quotidian alienation that the doctoral program reproduces despite its best intentions. This is an initiative to change things.

In addition to the regular group meetings at the GC, there will also be an end of the semester Undercommons Writing Group party at my apartment in Brooklyn. It is my hope that we can come together, have a lot of fun, and celebrate our many achievements.

This group receives DSC funding through the American Studies Area Group so that we can book rooms and have snacks at each meeting. It is open to all, regardless of your scholarly interests. Please feel free to forward this announcement to anybody else who might be interested in this group. Dates and times of meetings will be determined based on our community needs.

Please write to me (pajmera@gradcenter.cuny.edu) if you are interested, have any questions, etc. I’d be glad to help!

Best,

Param

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