Program in Experimental Critical Theory

The UCLA Program in Experimental Critical Theory (ECT) is meant to galvanize, coordinate, and expand research and teaching in critical theory across departments and disciplines at UCLA.  It is supported by the Humanities Division, based in the department of Comparative Literature, and brings together students from across the university. Most core courses include students from half a dozen departments and various UCLA divisions. The core course is sometimes taught in a hybrid modality so that graduate students from across the UC system are able to enroll.

Founded in 2008 by Kenneth Reinhard, Professor Emeritus of both the Departments of Comparative Literature and English, the ECT Program offers the Graduate Certificate in Experimental Critical Theory, which is open to graduate students enrolled in a Ph.D. or MFA program in any participating department at UCLA. Requirements include successful completion of two of the ECT core courses (Com Lit 250), or an approved substitution, and two additional relevant courses with a theoretical focus, for four courses in total. Students should also attend at least four ECT sponsored events and are encouraged to attend more. Admission to the program entails a short application; please contact the Academic Advisor at bboling@humnet.ucla.edu for additional information. For queries, please contact the director. 

ECT Advisory Board:

  • Professor Eleanor Kaufman (director), Comparative Literature, ELTS
  • Professor Nouri Gana, Comparative Literature and NELC
  • Professor Davide Panagia, Political Science
  • Professor Kriss Ravetto-Biagioli, Film, Television and Digital Media

ECT Affiliated Faculty:

Past Seminars

Professors Zrinka Stahuljak of the Departments of Comparative Literature and European Languages and Transcultural Studies and Giulia Sissa of the Departments of Political Science, Comparative Literature and Classics co-directed the Program in Experimental Critical Theory for a two-year term (2021-2023) dedicated to epistemic comparison and narrative thinking. Professor Stahuljak solely directed the program for a one-year term in 2023-2024 dedicated to ternary positionality and relationality. The 2024-2025 ECT seminar, “Whither Marxism and Psychoanalysis?” was led by Professor Nouri Gana (Comparative Literature and NELC) in the spring quarter of 2025. The 2025-2026 ECT seminar on “Structure” was taught by Professor Eleanor Kaufman (Comparative Literature, English, and ELTS) in winter 2026. The topic for 2026-27, also taught by Professor Kaufman, is “Phenomenlogy and Embodiment,” with the core course offered in spring 2027.

Previous seminar topics include:

  • 2008-09:  The Human and the Collective
  • 2009-10:  The Subject
  • 2010-11:  Philosophy, Art, and Politics
  • 2011-12:  What is a World?
  • 2012-13:  Theory and Theatre
  • 2013-14:  Psychoanalysis, Philosophy, and Critical Theory
  • 2014-15:  Truth and Knowledge
  • 2015-16: Philosophy, Art, and Politics
  • 2016-17:  Ethics and the Event
  • 2017-18:  Marx and Capitalism
  • 2019-20:  Truth and Knowledge II
  • 2020-21:  Stasis, Flux, Change
  • 2021-22:  Comparative Thinking
  • 2022-23:  Narrative thinking
  • 2023-24:  Ternary Positionality
  • 2024-25:  Wither Marxism and Psychoanalysis?
  • 2025-26:  Structure

Recent events include: 

  • 1/26/36 Structuralism to Poststructuralism: Derrida on Lévi-Strauss | A talk with Jonathan Culler
  • 2/20/26 Marx’s Late Writings: Theories of Revolutionary Change and of Alternative to Capitalism | A talk with Kevin Anderson
  • 2/23/26 Psychoanalysis and Structure | A talk with A. Kiarina Kordela
  • 3/2/26 “The Fault in the Structure is You” | A talk with Justin Clemens
  • 3/4/26 Good Vibes Only | A talk with Robin James
  • 4/14/26 Living on After Failure | A talk with Irving Goh
  • 4/30/26 Dean’s Lecture in Humanistic Inquiry: Kate Manne on Sensitivity and Survival
  • 5/15/26 Jameson in California – and Beyond Conference
  • 5/22/26 Roundtable on Banu Bargu’s Disembodiment: Corporeal Politics of Radical Refusal