Karim Sadek - CV - updated - American University of Beirut

KARIM SADEK
[email protected]
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
Political Philosophy, Contemporary Critical Social Theory, Contemporary Islamic Political Thought
AREAS OF CONCENTRATION
Ethics (normative and applied)
CURRENT POSITION
Mellon Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Arts and Humanities, American University of Beirut
EDUCATION
Georgetown University: Ph.D. in Philosophy (August 2012)
Dissertation: "Islamic Democracy: The Struggle for and Limits of Recognition"
Committee: Terry Pinkard (chair), Henry Richardson, Ahamd Dallal, and Mark Lance
Abstract: I forge an intellectual path between contemporary Critical Theory and dissident Islamic
thought to put forward a radically democratic conception of Islamic politics. With the backdrop of
the Arab uprisings, such a conception stands to address the problematic political situation the Arab
world faces; a situation where the same element, Islamic politics, is simultaneously perceived as
the source of emancipation and of authoritarianism.
I focus on Axel Honneth's recognition-based critical theory and Rached Ghannouchi's theoretical
conception of the Islamic state. I begin by reconstructing Ghannouchi's social and political
demands in terms of a demand for the recognition of Islamic identity. With an upgraded recognition
model I identify the loci of the emancipatory potentials in Islamic politics, and the mechanisms to
unleash them. Next, I capitalize on some elements in Ghannouchi's thought to make explicit
resources internal to the Islamic tradition capable of curbing the authoritarian potentials of Islamic
politics. Finally, I draw in outline a tripartite political arrangement that combines a robust sense of
the Islamic state, the conditions for individual self-realization, and the mechanisms for radical
democratic will-formation.
American University of Beirut: M.A. in Philosophy (June 2002)
Thesis: "Well-Being, Capability, and Relativism"
American University of Beirut: B.A. in Economics (July 1998)
PUBLICATIONS
"In Search of a Political Vision for the Arab World," Arches Quarterly, Winter 2012
"Evolving National Identities," The Journal of Palestine Studies, No. 44, Autumn 2000, (jointly
authored)
TALKS
"Honneth's recognition-based theory and the recognition of Islamic identity," Bogazici University,
philosophy department; Istanbul, Turkey, May 2013
"In Search of a Political Vision for the Arab World," Arts and Humanities Initiative at the American
University of Beirut; Beirut, Lebanon, February 2013
"Modern Islamic Movements and the Right to Recognition," Center for Behavioral Research at the
American University of Beirut; Beirut, Lebanon, February 2009
PAPERS AT CONFERENCES
“The Public Recognition of Islamic Identity: Honneth, Ghannouchi, Multiculturalism, and Plurality,”
Realizing Global Justice: Theory and Practice, University of Tromso; Tromso, Norway, June 2013
“Shura as a Conception of Public Reasoning,” Beyond Liberalism and Islamism: Homage to Albert
Hourani, American University of Beirut; Beirut, Lebanon, May 2013
“The Limits of Recognition: a First Look,” International Conference in Narrative, Washington D.C.,
USA, March 2007
GUEST LECTURER, DISCUSSANT, and SEMINARS
Active Participant at the Istanbul Seminars: "The Sources of Political Legitimacy: From the Erosion of
the Nation-State to the Rise of Political Islam"; Reset Dialogues on Civilizations and Istanbul Bilgi
University; May 2013
Discussant in a seminar on Comparative Political Theory with Professor Fred Dallmayr "Putting
Political Theory on the Map: Global Dialogue and Social and Political Thought," the Anis Makdisi
Program in Literature, the Arts and Humanities Initiative, the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern
Studies, and the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, American University of
Beirut, March 2013
"The Politics of Recognition and the Recognition of Islamic Identity," Guest lecturer in Introduction to
Middle Eastern Studies (graduate course), with Prof. Tarif Khalidi, Center for Arab and Middle
Eastern Studies, American University of Beirut, November 2012
"Futility and Surrogate Decision Making," Guest Lecturer in Bioethics, with Prof. Rebecca Kukla,
Georgetown University, April 2005
WORK IN PROGRESS
"Radical Islamic Democracy" (book manuscript)
"Honneth's Recognition Model and the Recognition of Islamic Identity"
"Shura as a conception of public reasoning"
"The Islamic Umma vs the Political Umma: Islamic politics, apostasy, and the non-Muslims"
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Courses Designed and Taught (sole responsibility)
American University of Beirut (Mellon Post-Doctoral Fellow)
"Democracy and Contemporary Islamic Political Thought," Cross-departmental Graduate
Course (Middle Eastern Studies, Political Science, and Philosophy), Spring 2013
"Multiculturalism and Political Theory," Cross-departmental Undergraduate Seminar
(Political Science and Philosophy), Spring 2013
American University of Beirut (Instructor)
"Introduction to Philosophy," Spring 2012
"Applied Philosophy," "Introduction to Ethics," "Introduction to Philosophy," Summer 2008
- Summer 2009. (Full-Time. 2 courses per Summer and 4 per regular semester)
Georgetown University (Graduate Teaching Fellow)
"Democracy and Religion," Spring 2011
Courses Assistant-Taught (partial responsibility)
Georgetown University (Teaching Assistant)
"Introduction to Philosophy," Professors John Reuscher and Mark Lance, Spring 2004, Fall
2005, Fall 2011
"Introduction to Ethics," Professors Richard Manning and Nancy Sherman, Fall 2003, Spring
2006
"Philosophies of Freedom," Professor William Blattner, Fall 2004
"Bioethics," Professor Rebecca Kukla, Spring 2005
"Political and Social Thought," Professors Terry Pinkard and Mark Murphy, Fall 2006,
Spring 2007
Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (Teaching Assistant)
"Political and Social Thought," Professor Joshua Mitchell, Spring 2008
"Introduction to Microeconomics," Professor Ibrahim Oweiss, Fall 2007
TEACHING DEVELOPMENT
Member, Faculty Learning Community - Community Based Learning in Writing, American University
of Beirut; Fall 2012, Spring 2013
Participant, New Ways of Thinking about Plagiarism, American University of Beirut; October 2012
Participant, Symposium on the Teaching of Writing, Georgetown University; May 2007
Participant, School of Foreign Service Political and Social Thought Summer Institute, Georgetown
University; June 2006
OTHER ACTIVITY (academic related)
Conference co-organizer, Beyond Liberalism and Islamism: Homage to Albert Hourani, American
University of Beirut; Beirut, Lebanon, May 2013
One of the main contributors in a joint initiative between the Arts and Humanities Initiative and the
Graduate Council at the American University of Beirut to revitalize AUB's Arts and Sciences graduate
students academic life
Member and participant at WAKE - a local NGO that provides a learning space for cross-cultural
exchange and dialogue, and that is committed to fostering and enhancing spiritual understanding and
growth - Beirut, Lebanon
OTHER EXPERIENCE
Translator (English-Arabic) for Jonathan Steele, The Guardian - Beirut, Lebanon, July war 2006
Field Editor, Mines Advisory Group, Landmine Impact Survey - Assessing the socio-economic impact
of landmines on affected communities - Beirut, Lebanon; July 2002 - February 2003
Research Assistant (economics) - Consultation and Research Institute - Beirut, Lebanon; Summer
1996 - 1997
FELLOWSHIPS AND ASSISTANTSHIPS
Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship in Religion and Ethics; Sept 2009-Aug
2010
Teaching Assistantship, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar; Fall 2007-Spring
2008
Graduate Assistantship, Political and Social Thought Course: School of Foreign Service, the
Department of Philosophy and the Department of Government; Georgetown University; Fall 06Spring 2007
Georgetown Graduate School Assistantship and Scholarship; Fall 2003-Spring 2008, Fall 2009-Spring
2012
Center for Behavioral Research Graduate Assistantship, American University of Beirut; 1999-2002
Research Assistantship, Muhammad-Ali Khalidi, American University of Beirut; Summer 2000
GRADUATE COURSEWORK (selection)
Georgetown University
Virtue Ethics & Normative Theory (Karen
Stohr)
Ethics Proseminar (Mark Murphy)
Ethics and Game Theory (Steven Khun)
Heidegger (William Blattner)
Metaphysics Proseminar (Alexander Pruss)
Topics in Political Philosophy (Henry Richardson)
Sources of Moral Imperatives (Margaret Little) Hegel (Terry Pinkard)
Epistemology Proseminar (James Mattingly)
Husserl and Phenomenology (John Brough)
Law and Philosophy Joint Seminar on War
(Nancy Sherman & David Luban)
Ideology, Consciousness, and Power
(Daniel Brumberg)
Explanation, Laws, and Objectivity
(Mark Lance and Margaret Little)
Islamic Thought on the Eve of Modernity
(Ahmad Dallal)*
American University of Beirut
Morality and Nationalism
(Bashshar Haidar and Muhammad-Ali Khalidi)
Philosophy of Social Science
(Ken Ferguson)
Morality and Art (Oliver Connolly)
Economic Sociology (Ray Jureidini)
Politics and Art (Oliver Connolly)
Economic Development (Mona Haddad)
('*' indicates audited course)
LANGUAGES
English, French, and Arabic (fluent). Spanish (intermediate)
REFERENCES
Terry Pinkard, University Professor of Philosophy, Georgetown University, [email protected]
Henry Richardson, Professor of Philosophy, Georgetown University, [email protected]
Mark Lance, Professor of Philosophy, Professor of Justice and Peace, Georgetown University,
[email protected]
Ahmad Dallal, Provost, American University of Beirut, [email protected]
William Blattner, Professor of Philosophy, Georgetown University, [email protected]
Alisa Carse, Associate Professor, Georgetown University, [email protected]
Margaret Little, Associate Professor, Georgetown University, [email protected]
Muhammad-Ali Khalidi, Associate Professor, York University, [email protected]
Bashshar Haidar, Professor of Philosophy, American University of Beirut, [email protected]
Nancy Sherman,* University Professor of Philosophy, Georgetown University,
[email protected]
('*' Indicating Teaching Reference)