Katy Fulfer

Philosophy in the world

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A state of unwelcome

It was chilling to read about Texas Governor Greg Abbott's statement that Texas would not resettle refugees in 2020. In recent years, Texas has been the state to resettle the largest number of refugees. Echoes of Arendt's Origins of Totalitarianism The Governor's decision reminds me of Hannah Arendt's discussion of the decline of the nation-state in the Origins of Totalitarianism. The phenomenon of statelessness tested the limits of national sovereignty. Some states stripped their unwanted … [Read more...]

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How book bingo changed my life

I might be slightly hyperbolic in asserting that book bingo changed my life. But it did reorient me in ways I didn't expect. The 2019 book bingo challenge Inspired by the Kitchener Public Library's book bingo in the summer of 2018, I decided to create a bingo card for my workplace. The challenge would run for the entire calendar year. Each colleague's leisure reading interests would be represented by at least one square on the bingo card. You'll notice that a few squares correspond to … [Read more...]

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On venturing forth

Recently, I experienced a case of the flu that left me feeling rather pathetic and alone. That aloneness was necessary, however, to enable me to rest and recuperate.  Wrapped up in my blanket of solitude, I spent most of my time either sleeping or reading novels that have a tendency to pile up on my bedside table. These stories not only conjured up magical worlds, but also gave me comfort. Thankfully, the flu has now abated, and I’m cognizant of the first signs of winter, ten centimetres of the … [Read more...]

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Even more sabbatical downtime

My final few weeks in New York were frantic. I submitted a paper for review, began to think about Winter syllabi, and finished (mostly) the massive pile of books I had checked out from the library. But, I managed to have some downtime too. Challenging borders I attended a few events at Where No Wall Remains, the 2019 biennial Live Arts Bard festival at the Fisher Center for the Arts. I like the intellectual grounding of the festival. Artists submit items for inclusion in the festival syllabus, … [Read more...]