Killjoys at Work. Lecture by Sara Ahmed

In this lecture I will share some reflections on why the feminist killjoy has become a central figure in my writing, philosophy and activism. Drawing on Living a Feminist Life and The Feminist Killjoy Handbook, which have both been recently translated into Polish, I will explain why I think of killing joy as a task more than an identity. To be a killjoy at work is to work on institutions as well as at them, to be willing to complain about institutional problems even if that means becoming the problem. To be killjoys at work is also to show how institutions often resist being changed by appearing to be committed to it. I will offer some observations on the creativity and collectivity of killing joy drawing on my recently completed, A Complainer’s Handbook: A Guide To Building Less Hostile Institutions. 

Sara Ahmed is an independent queer feminist scholar of colour based in the UK. Her work is concerned with how power is experienced and challenged in everyday life and institutional cultures. She blogs at feministkilljoy.com. You can find her on Instagram @feministkilljoyatwork.The event is organized in partnership with Krytyka Polityczna.

Co-financed by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund.