,

Under the Auspices of the University of Tunis

The Higher Institute of Applied Studies in Humanities of Tunis

Organizes a study day on

The Politics of Inter-Subjectivity

April 26th, 2018

Inter-Subjectivity is neither individuality nor selfhood, it is neither consciousness nor identity. It

investigates both our knowledge and the way we acquire it while charting the cartography and existence
of the subject. Therefore it is rethought, recreated and re-conceptualized; it stands as an open-ended
process of perennial (re)creation. As a concept, it is overcome but not erased: there has always been a
shift in the focus of studying subjectivity which can be situated in the intersection of epistemology and
ontology (Hall, 2004, 4)

“This question of the subject and the living “who” is at the heart of the most pressing concerns of
modern societies” asserts Derrida (1991, 115). Hence, the ‘ I’ as a living issue linked to modernity, is
subject to analysis and investigation. It needs to be explicated from different standpoints as subjectivity
is infinite, multiple and cross-theoretical. Indeed ‘The Politics of inter-subjectivity’ is concerned with
theorizing the subject and since S/He is multiple, it generates a dialogue of theories. The subject is
political, postcolonial and ethnic therefore, s/he is constructed through different discourses. The subject
is also conditioned by the media we consume, the society we inhabit, the politics we establish and the
desires that inspire us (Mansfield 2000,1). The subject is formed by ‘the signifier’, by ‘power and
knowledge’ as well as ‘sex, gender and performativity’. S/He is not only ‘an abject’, ‘a race’ but also
‘perpetrator’ ‘an aborginal’ and a ‘native’. The subject is determined by culture, colonialism and
subalternity. Finally S/He is rhizomatic, postmodern, ‘monstrous’ yet traumatized. This study day on ‘The
Politics of inter-Subjectivity’ aims to read and interpret key theorists that produced a myriad of models
and approaches that theorize the subject while applying it to a text. We seek contributions to different
hermeneutics of subjectivity. Participants are encouraged to send 250-word abstracts to the following
address: subjectivity.2018@gmail.com. They can cover, but are not limited to the following themes:

-Subjectivity in Language and discourse -Subjectivity: Trauma and Testimony

-Subjectivity in action vs. contemplative subjectivity - Mediatization of Subjectivity

-Subjectivity and memory -The Sociology of Subjectivity

- Critical Discourse Analysis and Subjectivity -The Poetics of Subjectivity

- The Genealogy of Subjectivity - Systemic Functional Linguistics and Subjectivity

-Pragmatics and Subjectivity

Deadline for abstract submission: February 20th, 2018.

Notification of Acceptance: February 24th, 2018.

The following information should be specified in the abstract: Title of the paper- Name and affiliation of
the author- email address - keywords.

Organizing Committee: Dr. Badis Ben Redjeb- Dr. Boutheina Boughnim –Dr. Amel Guizani-Dr. Faten
Haouioui - Dr. Asma Maaoui - Ms. Marwa Manaii - Ms. Mahassen Mgadmi - Dr. Souhir Zekri

Dr. Boutheina Majoul will be in charge of the publication of the study day proceedings.