The Imaginary School Program

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Imaginary School Program. Twelve participants from diverse backgrounds have been selected via an open call to join the program from October 2014 to May 2015. The curriculum puts its pulse to cultural practices and theories across disciplines to zoom in on various forms of instituting and organizing, with emphasis on the landscape that Cairo offers. Over the duration of eight months, the program provides space for reflection and critical thinking around radical institution-building with the aim to collectively understand how institutions can manifest and articulate their political potential. Content and contributions will be curated in three modules by political theorist Amr Abdelrahman, artist and activist Jasmina Metwaly, and the team of Beirut.

For the inaugurating session in October, Beirut will take Downtown Cairo as a case in point to study the role of institutions within urban and political transformations. Together with filmmakers Louly Seif and Salma Tarzi, Jasmina Metwaly will investigate questions of authorship and ownership by looking into the notions of "truth" in relation to image production with its uncertainties over the real and the imaginary. Amr Abdelrahman will investigate the contemporary language of constitutionality. In particular, he will explore the genealogies of current modes of organising in relation to other developments in the global capitalist market, as well as their connections with past social struggles and modes of self-organisation.

Stay tuned for updates and for more information about the Imaginary School Program and its fabulous twelve participants please click here:

Ahmed Refaat

Alia Ayman

Catherine Ermakova

Ebshoy Magdy

Habiba Effat

Mariz Kelada

Nada Riyadh

Nada El Shazly

Sama Waly

Soad Abo Ghazey

Soheir Abaza

Youssef Ramez