Robert Gooding-Williams

Scholars from the fields of political philosophy, African American philosophy, and intellectual history convene for a discussion of Robert Gooding-Williams’ new book, featuring a keynote address by the author.

In Democracy and Beauty: The Political Aesthetics of W. E. B. Du Bois (Columbia University Press, 2025), Robert Gooding-Williams draws on W. E. B. Du Bois’ various political writings to argue for the importance of fostering, developing, and preserving a robust democratic culture as a response to ongoing social injustice wrought by white supremacy. Further, Gooding-Williams reconstructs Du Bois’ defense of aesthetic education in developing a sense of justice: by presenting ideas in an unfamiliar light, artistic work can generate a greater receptivity towards difference that enhances democratic inclusivity. By developing a Du Bois-inspired framework, Gooding-Williams explores a range of applied political questions, such as the relationship between democratic culture and an inclusive society, the risks of democratic despotism, and the pedagogical value of art as a form of protest and a tool for education.

In addition to a keynote address from the author, this workshop at the John F. Kennedy Institute features comments from distinguished scholars working on some of the subjects explored in Gooding-Williams’ book. The provisional schedule is listed below.

Session 1 – 10:00-11:15

Chair: Anthony Obst (Freie Universität)

Opening Remarks: Kimberly Ann Harris (University of Virginia)

Presentation of Democracy and Beauty: Robert Gooding-Williams

Q&A

Coffee Break

Session 2 – 11:30-12:50

Chair: Daniel James (TU Dresden)

Comment 1: Michael Saman (Bard College Berlin)

Comment 2: Ewa Atanassow (Bard College Berlin)

Comment 3: Nikita Dhawan (TU Dresden)

Comment 4: Alexander Prescott-Couch (University of Oxford)

Q&A

Lunch Break

Session 3 – 14:00-15:00

Chair: Andreas-Johann Sorger (LSE/Sciences Po)

Response to Comments: Robert Gooding-Williams

Q&A and Discussion 

Closing Remarks: Kimberly Ann Harris

To register for the event, please send an email to anthony.obst@fu-berlin.de