Chicago Center for Contemporary Theory (3CT)

Chicago Center for Contemporary Theory (3CT) How do we theorize the present?

University of Chicago undergraduate students, join us on Monday, October 5, 2026 at 6:00–7:00pm in Foster 107 for the Fu...
09/23/2026

University of Chicago undergraduate students, join us on Monday, October 5, 2026 at 6:00–7:00pm in Foster 107 for the Future Café Kickoff meeting!

Future Café is a student-organized series that provides the opportunity and space for undergraduates to collectively imagine utopian possibilities and long-term futures. Past topics of conversation have included the environment, outer space, aesthetics, institutions, productivity, and youth.

For this first meeting of the year, we’ll brainstorm themes for our monthly discussions with pizza, drinks, and snacks. Future Café events are open to all undergraduate students at the University of Chicago; registration is requested but not required.

Visit https://ccct.uchicago.edu/events/future-cafe-kickoff-2026/ to learn more, register, and join the Future Café mailing list.

Welcome back, everyone! To celebrate the start of a new academic year, please join 3CT fellows and staff for drinks and ...
09/22/2026

Welcome back, everyone! To celebrate the start of a new academic year, please join 3CT fellows and staff for drinks and hors d’oeuvres! Our Welcome Back Party will be on Friday, October 2, 2026 at 5:00–7:00pm in Foster Hall, Rooms 107 and 108.

RSVPs are appreciated but not required: https://events.humanitix.com/3ct-welcome-back-party-d8h6a3gz

Now entering its third year, 3CT’s dissertation group continues to provide an informal space for building intellectual c...
09/21/2026

Now entering its third year, 3CT’s dissertation group continues to provide an informal space for building intellectual community and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. These weekly sessions are open to PhD candidates and those very close to candidacy across the social sciences and humanities who engage with contemporary critical theory in their work or those whose work is motivated by the central mission of 3CT to theorize the present. Students from elsewhere in the university whose projects align with 3CT are encouraged to reach out to with a description of their interests.

In Fall 2026, the writing group convenes in Foster 107 from 9:30am to 12:30pm on Wednesdays. A catered breakfast with pastries, tea, and coffee is provided. Participants join sessions in accordance with their schedules, and there is no expectation to participate for the full three hours or to participate every single week. Every session, the graduate students in the room decide how they would like to use their time for the day and create the space that works best for all in the community.

Registration is not required, but we would appreciate potential participants to fill out the writing group interest form: https://forms.gle/2spVsaq8SyhTXWGZ6

We are thrilled to announce a new 3CT doctoral certificate in Critical Social Theory.This program offers doctoral studen...
09/17/2026

We are thrilled to announce a new 3CT doctoral certificate in Critical Social Theory.

This program offers doctoral students the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of how institutions, ideas, and affects shape the world around us in ways that are often hidden, but also networked and powerful. With an emphasis on interdisciplinarity and collaboration, it seeks to foster a lively intellectual community of students who share a commitment to discovering and defining new ways to explore pressing issues in contemporary life.

Learn more at https://ccct.uchicago.edu/news/new-critical-social-theory-graduate-certificate/

We look forward to welcoming you back soon for the 2026–27 academic year! Save the dates for 3CT's Fall 2026 events. Vis...
09/16/2026

We look forward to welcoming you back soon for the 2026–27 academic year! Save the dates for 3CT's Fall 2026 events. Visit ccct.uchicago.edu/events to learn more and register.

Friday, October 2
Welcome Back Party

Monday, October 5
Future Café Kickoff

Tuesday, October 6
Elizabeth Chatterjee
Buying Time: Climate Crisis and the Politics of Deferral in India

Thursday, October 8
Fadi A. Bardawil
“‘Orientalism’ Is Not a Theoretical Machine”: Edward Said’s Reckoning with Difference

Friday, October 9
Hiba Bou Akar
Highways of Collective Action

Tuesday, October 13
Joan Donovan and Sam Hinds
Everyone Hates AI

Thursday, October 15
Eman Abdelhadi, Cathy J. Cohen, Moon Duchin, and Jeffrey A. Winters
Power, Rage, and New Possibilities: Midterms 2026

Monday, October 19
Anaheed Al-Hardan, Arwa Awan, Julian Go, and Ibrahim Khan
Anticolonialism and Social Thought

November 5–7
Lauren Berlant 3CT Graduate Student Conference
In Case of Emergency: Catastrophe, Climate, and Capitalism

Wednesday, November 18
August H. Nimtz
Revisiting ‘Black Marxism’ Four Decades Later in the Era of Trump

Ready to kick off a new academic year! Check out 3CT-crosslisted courses that are offered for the Fall 2026 quarter.Intr...
08/24/2026

Ready to kick off a new academic year! Check out 3CT-crosslisted courses that are offered for the Fall 2026 quarter.

Introduction to Critical Social Theory
Julian Go
SOCI 20591/30591 | CCCT 20591/30591

Conspiracy/Theory
Joseph Masco
ANTH 20423 | CCCT 20423

Geostories: Assembling the Planetary
Joseph Masco
ANTH 34901 | CCCT 34901

Capital and Democracy in an Age of Finance
Robert Meister
PLSC 40010 | DEMS 40010 | CCCT 40010

Intro to Literary Criticism
Sianne Ngai
ENGL 11200 | CCCT 11200

Special Topics in Literary Criticism: Fredric Jameson
Sianne Ngai
ENGL 22200/42200 | CCCT 22200/42200 | FNDL 22202

Approaches to the History of Political Thought
Jennifer Pitts
PLSC 42420 | SCTH 42420 | CCCT 42420

Learn more at https://ccct.uchicago.edu/teaching-and-student-engagement/

We are seeking a graduate or undergraduate student to assist the 3CT team with regular program and operational tasks. Th...
08/03/2026

We are seeking a graduate or undergraduate student to assist the 3CT team with regular program and operational tasks. The role is for approximately 8–12 hours per week during the academic year and will include occasional evening and weekend hours. This is a Federal Work-Study position.

The Student Assistant reports to the Associate Director of 3CT and works closely with the Program Coordinator. Tasks may include, but are not limited to: event setup and breakdown, including handling food and beverages; distributing posters around campus; creating content for social media and updating website; captioning videos; and maintaining 3CT’s common spaces.

We are looking for someone who:

• Demonstrates strong communication skills, reliability, and excellent attention to detail
• Is able to work independently, take direction, and prioritize their own tasks effectively
• Is familiar with and enthusiastic about the work of 3CT
• Can be flexible: tasks and schedule may vary depending on program needs
• Has some graphic design and/or social media experience (preferred, but not required)

Pay rate: $20/hr

To apply, search for the job posting on Handshake (undergraduate students; ID: 11215406) or GRAD Gargoyle (graduate students; ID: 9388039). Please submit a resume and cover letter, noting your eligibility for Federal Work-Study.

Learn more at https://ccct.uchicago.edu/news/now-hiring-3ct-student-assistant-2026-27/

3CT is looking for two coordinators for the new Critical Social Theory Working Group, launching in the 2026–27 academic ...
07/31/2026

3CT is looking for two coordinators for the new Critical Social Theory Working Group, launching in the 2026–27 academic year. This opportunity is open to any student who will be enrolled in a University of Chicago doctoral program during this period, with priority given to those who are engaged with 3CT’s activity (e.g. attending events or taking classes).

The format and frequency of Working Group meetings are to be determined, but we anticipate each coordinator working approximately 50 hours over the course of the year at $20/hour. Responsibilities might include: drafting and circulating calls for papers; selecting and scheduling presenters; circulating readings; and participating in meetings. 3CT staff will support the coordinators in these and other tasks.

To express your interest in the role, please reach out to Anna Searle Jones, 3CT’s associate director. Learn more at https://ccct.uchicago.edu/news/now-hiring-critical-social-theory-working-group-coordinators-2026-27/

We have two new opportunities for University of Chicago students!———3CT is looking for two coordinators for the new Crit...
07/24/2026

We have two new opportunities for University of Chicago students!

———

3CT is looking for two coordinators for the new Critical Social Theory Working Group, launching in the 2026–27 academic year. This opportunity is open to any student who will be enrolled in a University of Chicago doctoral program during this period, with priority given to those who are engaged with 3CT’s activity (e.g. attending events or taking classes).

The format and frequency of Working Group meetings are to be determined, but we anticipate each coordinator working approximately 50 hours over the course of the year at $20/hour. Responsibilities might include: drafting and circulating calls for papers; selecting and scheduling presenters; circulating readings; and participating in meetings. 3CT staff will support the coordinators in these and other tasks.

To express your interest in the role, please reach out to Anna Searle Jones, 3CT’s associate director, by Monday, August 3.

https://ccct.uchicago.edu/news/now-hiring-critical-social-theory-working-group-coordinators-2026-27/

———

We are seeking a graduate or undergraduate student to assist the 3CT team with regular program and operational tasks. The role is for approximately 8–12 hours per week during the academic year and will include occasional evening and weekend hours. This is a Federal Work Study position.

The Student Assistant reports to the Associate Director of 3CT and works closely with the Program Coordinator. Tasks may include, but are not limited to: event setup and breakdown, including handling food and beverages; distributing posters around campus; creating content for social media and updating website; captioning videos; and maintaining 3CT’s common spaces.

Pay rate: $20/hr

To apply, search for the job posting on Handshake (undergraduate students; ID: 11215406) or GRAD Gargoyle (graduate students; ID: 9388039). Please submit a resume and cover letter, noting your eligibility for Federal Work Study.

https://ccct.uchicago.edu/news/now-hiring-3ct-student-assistant-2026-27/

Congratulations to Lisa Wedeen, director of 3CT and the Mary R. Morton Distinguished Service Professor in the Department...
07/23/2026

Congratulations to Lisa Wedeen, director of 3CT and the Mary R. Morton Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Political Science, on her election as a 2026 Fellow of The British Academy, in recognition of outstanding contributions to the humanities and social sciences. Wedeen is the only political scientist of the thirty-two International Fellows elected this year.

https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/92-new-fellows-welcomed-to-the-british-academy-in-2026/

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