Masterclass with Prof. Ritu Birla on Speculation, Financialization and the Re/presentation of Sovereignty

 

In this session, Prof. Birla introduced attendees to interdisciplinary themes in the study of speculation and financialization, and map questions she is posing about challenges to democratic representation in regimes of monetization. With attention to Global South-sited contexts, we  discussed new approaches to capitalism and sign-value, the speculative subject, and the mediative techniques of financial governmentality.   Prof Cody responded, followed by a general discussion. Registered participation was sent links to required reading, newly published article by Prof. Birla, and one short background reading.

 

As this is a masterclass, attendees were required to read Ritu Birla, “Short-Circuits and Seizures: Currency and the Coding of the Global” in Public Culture (https://uoft.me/Short-Circuits-and-Seizures).

 

We also strongly recommended reading Laura Bear, Ritu Birla and Stine Simonsen Puri, "Speculation and the Futures of Capitalism in India” in Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and Middle East for further background (https://uoft.me/Futures-and-Capitalism-in-India).

 

 

Ritu Birla is an Associate Professor in the Department of History and also directs a research project in Global Governance, Economy and Society in collaboration with the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. She has held positions as the first Richard Charles Lee Director of the Asian Institute at the Munk School, and before that, Director of the Centre for South Asian Studies.  Recognized for bringing the empirical study of economy and empire to current questions in social and political theory, her research has sought to build new conversations in the global study of capitalism and its forms of governing.

 

Discussant: Francis Cody  is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology and the Asian Institute at the University of Toronto, where he is the Director of the Dr. David Chu Program in Contemporary Asian Studies and the Centre for South Asian Studies. He has been teaching at U of T since 2008. His research focuses on language, politics, and media in southern India.