We are happy to announce the second Academy of Margins summer seminar, entitled diffractions and topològraphies, led by diffrakt | center for theoretical periphery, a collective that aims to further exchange between current positions from art, science, society, and philosophy. Founded in 2017 and based in Berlin, they offer a place for theoretical, artistic, and activist practice, regularly curating events in various forms and formats such as conversations, workshops, book presentations, reading groups, film screenings, performances, exhibitions, and event series.
Robida first met diffrakt in September 2023, when some of the members were discovering the — then dry — wetlands of Floating University. We, already at that time, were fond of the idea of hosting a collective in Topolò, as opposed to the usual dwellings we organise for individual researchers and artists. Diffrakt was a perfect fit: their definition of being a center for theoretical periphery seemed to us as the other side of the coin of Robida’s defining its Academy of Margins as a periphery for central theory.
So, from 14th to 23rd August 2024, diffrakt will go on a road trip and visit Robida in Topolò to – finally – become part of the Academy of Margins. They will spend 10 days talking and walking about the margins and the periphery, about theory and its topològraphies, about (counter)infrastructures, about science fiction and of course whatever else may arrive to them while they're there.
As part of their stay in Topolò, and besides a possible appearance on Radio Robida, they will host two public workshops, to which anyone is very much invited to join!
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Monday, 19th August: 16:00–19:00
SO FAR: SF and the Margins
SF – science fiction, speculative fiction, etc. – is (among many other things) an art of the margins. In this workshop, we'll read extracts from works by authors such as Octavia Butler, Samuel R. Delany, Harry Josephine Giles, N.K. Jemisin and Ursula K. Le Guin, but also Thomas Ligotti and Sarah Pinsker, in order to examine the condition of being on the margins, in constant negotiation and exchange with the established centres. In our conversations across various materials, we'll explore the analytic-diagnostic as well as the transformative potentials of speculation as a method.
Tuesday, 20th August: 16:00–19:00
On counter|infrastructures: Topològraphies
Infrastructures are essential to our lives and shape – though often barely perceptible – the ways we live as well as our immediate and mediate environments. But which structures and infrastructures are necessary for which forms of life? Which are desirable and which need to be rejected? The study of counter|infrastructures implies both a critique of actually existing infrastructures and an examination (and potential prefiguration) of the infrastructures necessary for building communities that rely on principles of mutuality and solidarity rather than competitive individuality. In this workshop, we'll start our discussion from Hakim Bey's classic T.A.Z.: The Temporary Autonomous Zone in order to discuss what we can learn from infrastructures along the margins.
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The seminar is free and will be held in English.
The seminar will be conducted exclusively in person and will not be held online.
You can participate on both days or just one. For all of you interested in participating both days, please write to us on robidamagazine@gmail.com!
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diffrakt | center for theoretical periphery is a collectively organized space that hosts and promotes a range of discursive formats. We aim to further exchange between current positions from art, science, society, and philosophy, and to offer a place for theoretical, artistic, and activist practice. Our events are open to all and free of charge. We are trying to make diffrakt as accessible as possible, please get in touch if you have any inquiries.
Founded in 2017, diffrakt is a non-profit association that inhabits the former space of Merve Verlag in Berlin-Schöneberg, regularly curating events in various forms and formats: conversations, workshops, book presentations, reading groups, film screenings, performances, exhibitions, and event series.
In addition to the events we organize ourselves, we also want to provide a space for others. We are open to cooperations with other initiatives, groups or interested individuals. We discuss proposals and event suggestions collectively during our jour fixe.
Our voluntary work has been supported by the Basisförderung of the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Europe since 2020; in 2021, we received the Berlin Award for Project Spaces and Initiatives. If you would also like to support the work of diffrakt, we welcome your donations; more information can be found here.
diffrakt currently is: Caroline Adler, Elisa Barth, Georg Dickmann, Onur Erdur, Moritz Gansen, Max Grünberg, Ki-Myoung Kim, Sara Morais dos Santos Bruss, Morten Paul, Gala Rexer, Tim Schmidt, Wladimir Velminski, Hannah Wallenfels.
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The project Academy of Margins is supported by Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia.
