Cfp 2024: “Wokism” between Ideology and Aesthetics in Today’s Cultural System

Emerging in the United States around 2010 as a response to racial discrimination and social injustice, “wokism” initially gained traction in North American universities and later spread to Europe. Drawing on gender theories, critical race theory, and intersectionality, it challenges established academic views of science, rational knowledge, history, the humanities, and universalist thinking. Proponents argue that these traditional approaches may be inherently biased, promoting implicit structures that perpetuate a patriarchal, white, Western perspective.

“Wokism” has evolved from a push for social and political change to a pervasive cultural force significantly impacting scholarly debate. It offers new theoretical frameworks for the study of history, philosophy, and society, along with fresh perspectives on cultural and artistic production and new methods of inquiry. However, the impact of “wokism” on academia requires critical examination.

The historical roots of “wokism” can be traced back to the emergence of “political correctness”, which was criticized by thinkers like Robert Hughes and Allan Bloom[1], among others, during the 1980s and 1990s. The emergence of the so-called “cancel culture” in the 2000s further intensified this trend, resulting in well-known consequences. These include challenges to the foundations and methodologies of “hard” disciplines – like Mathematics and Biology –, as well as the discontinuation of degree programs like Western Civilization. The controversies over courses in the History of philosophy dominated by Caucasian men, the ostracism of professors, the censorship of some authors and their works, and the rewriting of such texts to conform to new standards of linguistic correctness – as in the case of Huckleberry Finn – are all issues demanding critical discussion.

Despite readily observable trends like the inclusion of “trigger warnings” in films, new guidelines for racial representation in Hollywood productions, and the use of “sensitivity readers” in publishing, the underlying tension between “wokism” and capitalism remains largely unexplored. Equally neglected is the connection to postmodernism, the ideological framework within capitalism that fosters “wokism”. The aesthetic impact and limitations of this cultural movement also deserve deeper analysis.

If, as Fredric Jameson[2] contends, postmodernism emphasizes adaptability within a specific socio-economic context, then, cultural approaches questioning history – both factual and conceptual – without plans for reconstruction aligns surprisingly well with capitalism, according to Leo Löwenthal[3]. This tendency to discard the past risks eroding the very concept of “self”, resulting in a fragmented society of isolated individuals under the sway of technical-political power. This fosters a culture stripped of its unique meanings, manifesting itself as an industry of consciousness, as described by Hans Magnus Enzensberger[4]. The paradoxical outcome of this cultural purification can be a regressive, witch-hunting process towards censorship and conformity driven by new political and aesthetic standards. This culture of irrationality and entrenched identities stands in stark contrast to the ideals of progress, emancipation, and free thought upon which universities were founded.

A comprehensive understanding of “wokism” demands a multifaceted approach. We must delve into its connections to deconstructionism, French Theory, and its interplay with social media, cyber-disinformation campaigns, and the proliferation of conspiracy theories. Moreover, exploring the relationship between “wokism” and issues of perception, and potentially developing a new anthropology that examines martyrdom and redemption narratives, as proposed by Robert Hughes in contemporary media and psychology, could yield valuable insights[5].

Issue 27-2024 of Testo e Senso invites critical reflections on “wokism” in its broadest sense, encompassing its technical, theoretical, and political dimensions, as well as its cultural and aesthetic ramifications. The said reflections will question the origins and implications of this movement, its reception in academia and political discourse, areas of influence, methodologies, and potential limitations and risks.

Furthermore, analyses exploring the driving forces behind the prominence of “wokism” are particularly encouraged. This includes examining the psychological, social, and political needs it addresses, as well as the intellectual, political, legal, institutional, and civil resistance efforts underway across the Atlantic to safeguard the foundations of a tolerant and multicultural society.

Individual contributions and case studies of works embodying the aesthetic implications or cultural contours of “wokism” are of particular interest. This includes literature, cinema, television, and Internet productions. Recent years have seen a surge of works catering to or challenging the sensibilities of “woke” culture, including youth series produced by Netflix, the latest young adult novels, and many award-winning films that either challenge or integrate “woke” culture into the vast landscape of “queer” culture. These works attempt to capture the essence of “woke sensitivities” through original or controversial, instructive, or bold creations, striving to balance ideological imperatives with stylistic tensions and aesthetic function. However, there is still a remarkable lack of in-depth analyses, cultural examination, and nuanced aesthetic contemplation of such works.

As a non-exhaustive and purely indicative guide, the following thematic, cultural-historical, socio-political, and aesthetic research perspectives may interest scholars wishing to contribute to the topic of “wokism”:

• the “aesthetic function” of “wokism” in literature, cinema, and TV series: how does “woke” culture influence contemporary artistic expression in literature, cinema, and television? Explore its impact on artistic means, languages, “norms”, or “trends”;
• from White to American Fiction: analyze novels, essays, films, and TV series (considering styles, characters, plots, atmospheres, scenarios, and languages) that narrate or even critically express “wokism”, its tensions, characters, and ideas. Authors like Bret Easton Ellis and Cord Jefferson can be starting points;
• exploring themes, places, and motifs of “wokism” in literature, cinema, and television, from family relationships to racism and from campus novels to high school TV series;
• investigating the problem of gaze and identity: how does “wokism” critique Euro/American-centric, phallocentric, and white perspectives? Analyze how it fosters the adoption of decolonized viewpoints through cultural, artistic, and social practices;
• “wokism” and literary criticism: explore methodological approaches, reading and exegesis procedures, and original critical-hermeneutical perspectives inspired by “woke” culture;
• history and society: trace the origins of “wokism” in 1960s and 1970s American culture, examining its relationship between academia, society, movements, and institutions. Consider the influence of French Theory, post-structuralist theories, post-colonial studies, and postmodernism on the development of “wokism”. Explore how these factors reinterpreted history and challenged subjectivity. Furthermore, analyze how “wokism” reflects the political and student protests and minority emancipation movements of that time. Finally, discuss how the blurring of power boundaries in the present context makes it difficult to identify a clear opponent or system to oppose;
• didactics and “woke” culture: how are educational institutions confronting the challenges and opportunities presented by “wokism”? Consider issues such as radical theses (book censorship, refusal to debate), student sensitivities, and strategies for incorporating “wokism” into the classroom;
• the language of “wokism”: explore the linguistic features that define “wokism”. Analyze the rationale behind replacing letters, constructing a new “sayable/unsayable” repertoire, and promoting a new form of linguistic education. Consider how these elements contribute to “wokism” as a cultural system;
• “wokism”, the crisis of ideologies and postmodernism;
• critiques of “wokism”: insights into potential risks and limitations of “wokism” and its underlying assumptions from a broad cultural perspective.

Contributions of up to 35,000 characters, including notes, title and abstract in Italian and English or French, should be submitted to the Editorial staff by 31 July 2024. Contributors should follow the rules and procedures outlined on the website. 

Issue 27-2024 is scheduled for publication in December.

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[1] Robert Hughes, Culture of Complaint, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1993; Allan Bloom, The Closing of the American Mind, New York, Simon & Schuster, 1987.

[2] Fredric Jameson, Postmodernism, or, the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism, Durham (North Carolina), Duke University Press, 1989.

[3] Leo Löwenthal, Caliban’s Legacy, NY, Routledge, 1983.

[4] Hans Magnus Enzensberger, Einzelheiten I, München, Suhrkamp, 1962.

[5] Daniele Giglioli, Critica della vittima, Roma, Nottetempo, 2016.