TLRH | Hublic Sphere | From Security to Weaponization: the Power of Citizenship

Recorded March 4, 2021. This fifth episode of the Hublic Sphere,
hosted by Dr Lilith Acadia, brings together five remarkable
scholars, lawyers, and activists to discuss how the concept of
‘citizenship’ creates power. The January 6th insurrection in
Washington DC inspired this episode, yet it has much broader
relevance in the US (such as Trump’s family separation policy and
the ongoing deportation of children under the Biden
administration), Europe (from post-Brexit questions about the
border between the Republic and Northern Ireland to the frequent
tragedies in the Mediterranean), and globally, as the world
grapples with an influx of climate and political refugees. The
topic is also rooted in Dr Acadia’s research, which asks how
concepts like ‘religion’ or ‘citizenship’ that we take for granted
are actually modern (or European Enlightenment) constructions that
enjoy epistemic privilege, which means that knowledge related to
those concepts have more power. Acadia is particularly interested
in how those concepts are used as pretexts, excuses for
imperialism, and injustice. From global migration to voting rights,
we can see in our world today how governments or even certain
fringe groups are imbuing a naturalized concept of citizenship with
special power, which they then use to justify denying some people
rights, or even as a pretext for violence. Speakers include Amy
Liu; Evelyn Tsao; Jeremy Bierbach; Michael Bellesiles; and Sahar
Ahmed. To find out more, visit: bit.ly/hublicsphere Learn more at:
https://www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub/