Social Theory Paper


Written in 2010 for a Social Theory Seminar hosted by sociology professor Charles Lemert (who reviewed the paper as “superb in all respects except its tardiness”), Zack’s draft brings together a wide scope of thinkers and theoretical lineages in conversation around our understanding of time, ethics, and human agency. Paired with supplementary readings including Giorgio Agamben’s Infancy and History and The Coming Community, and an excerpt from Karan Barad’s Meeting the Universe Halfway, the paper continues Zack’s deep interest in the fundamentals of human experience, relations, and how the communication of inner life gives rise to the foundations of political and ethical structures. – SS

And, a small story from Sam Silver, who wrote this introductory text: “as a funny anecdote, there is a huge email chain from Zack around the social theory paper — he sent about 8 emails back to back the day before class about the supplementary readings and not being able to get the library scanner to work (I saw him there eating a turkey sandwich in the middle of a frantic flurry of photocopies), and then he stayed up all night to actually write the paper which gave everyone 0 time to actually read it before the meeting.”