Against the Absurd: On Authoritarianism in Politics and Education

In this paper, I address the role of those of us who read and write within cultural studies in this time of authoritarianism. Authoritarianism here includes state politics as well as the administration of universities. I write personally and culturally from within the United States, though this message is for all in systems leaning and tipped into authoritarianism. I first name various authoritarianisms in United States politics and higher education. I then explore a critical orientation to claiming truth and its various realities, while rejecting lies and their various unrealities, or absurdities. We must name the absurdities of this moment as such, refuse to accept them as part of our otherwise anarchic realities, and act to profane them within all of our social spheres. In doing this, we put our specific expertise to work in our societies and on our campuses to dismantle authoritarian systems and actively practice democracy.