New Books in Critical Theory Hamid Dabashi, "After Savagery: Gaza, Genocide, and the Illusion of Western Civilization" (Haymarket, 2025)
Oct 15, 2025
Hamid Dabashi, an academic and author, presents his insights on Gaza in relation to Western moral philosophy. He argues that the chaos in Gaza forces a reevaluation of colonial legacies within Western thought. Dabashi critiques Eurocentric views, exposing how they obscure historical atrocities. He also highlights the power of Palestinian art and literature as vehicles for humanizing marginalized voices. Furthermore, he emphasizes the importance of digital testimonies in shaping global consciousness about the conflict.
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Gaza As Moral Ground-Zero
- Dabashi argues Gaza is the moral ground-zero for reassessing global humanity after two years of mass slaughter.
- He calls the term 'civilization' compromised and urges rebuilding moral existence starting from Gaza's rubble.
Critical Theory's Eurocentric Blind Spot
- Dabashi critiques the Frankfurt School for Eurocentric blind spots despite being shaped by it.
- He expects thinkers like Habermas to have responded more critically to Gaza and the broader colonial legacy.
Universalize Lessons From Atrocities
- Dabashi situates the Holocaust within global colonial atrocities to expand its universal lessons.
- He urges rejecting tribalism and developing universals that do not privilege any group's suffering over another's.
