Question and Practice of Epistemologies from the South

Teacher: Silvia Mesturini

The challenge and the transversality of 'epistemologies of the South' lies in their ability to show the existence of an epistemology that unfolds by creating and sustaining the existence of a privilege with, as its corollary, those excluded from that privilege. Opening up to the epistemologies of the South means taking into account the points of view and practices of those excluded, invalidated and invalidated by a dominant privilege with hegemonic aims. The first epistemic shift proposed by the course will therefore be reflected in the way in which it is taught. This course is designed as a learning space where the epistemic question is not just a matter of learning critical perspectives, but can also become an 'experience' that is both personal and collective, ethical and political, theoretical and embodied, based on methodological experimentation. Each 2-hour class will be divided between an hour of theoretical proposals and an hour of discussion and collective experimentation on the ways in which these proposals resonate, put to work and inspire each of the participants in the class, particularly through oral exercises and shared storytelling. Asking and practising epistemic questions calls for a particular experience that involves thinking, practising and being part of the world all at the same time. The course will therefore strive to be a space where this type of experience can take place in an informed and carefully supported way. Assessment will be based solely on attendance.