Conversations with History: Institute
of International Studies, UC Berkeley
This interview is part of the Institute's "Conversations
with History" series, and uses Internet technology to share with the public
Berkeley's distinction as a global forum for ideas.
Welcome to a Conversation with History. I'm Harry
Kreisler of the Institute
of International Studies. Our guest today is Michael Hardt, who is a Professor
or Literature at Duke University. He is the author, with Antonio Negri,
of Empire.
- Background ... college years ... studying
engineering ... discovering the joys of a political life
- Political Work in Central America ...
sanctuary work ... two kinds of activists ... learning from Central Americans
... hard questions
- Linking Activism to the Intellectual Life ...
disjuncture ... using engineering skills for practical assistance ... interdisciplinary
studies ... languages
- Learning about Antonio Negri ...
disillusionment with political role as U.S. citizen ... Negri's story
- Collaboration with Negri ... multidisciplinary
approach ... logistics of collaboration ... writing in a "third voice"
- The Ideas of Empire ... "empire" vs.
traditional imperialism ... not nation-based ... globalization vs. anti-globalization
- Theory and Practice ... where practical
plans emerge ... more than one locus of theory ... U.S. constitutional traditions
as a model for globalization ... constraints of "anti-American" stance
... constraints on U.S. leadership styles


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