Fred Moten – The Hayden V. White Distinguished Annual Lecture

On April 9, 2025, Fred Moten gave The Hayden V. White Distinguished Annual Lecture entitled, “Theory and Practice of Contradiction.”

Moten explored key theoretical and historical issues through the lens of a phrase frequently used by the late Cedric Robinson, who was a professor in the Department of Black Studies and the Department of Political Science at UC Santa Barbara: “We must deepen or, alternatively, we must heighten the contradiction.” What is contradiction, what are the implications of refusing its resolution, and how do we propel its movement from (speech) act to practice?

Fred Moten studies the social practice of poetry/criticism. He lives in New York and teaches at New York University. His most recent work, in collaboration with Brandon López, is Revision (TAO Forms Records, 2024).

Dan White wrote about the event for UC Santa Cruz.

• “Acclaimed poet and cultural theorist Fred Moten to deliver this year’s Hayden V. White Lecture” by Dan White

Watch a recording of the lecture here:

Event Photos by Nestor Guerrero:

If you have trouble viewing above images, you may view this album directly on Flickr.

The Hayden V. White Distinguished Annual Lecture Series is made possible by the support of the Thomas H. and Josephine Baird Memorial Fund, an endowment that supports yearly lectures relevant to historical and cultural theory, and to ensure that Hayden White’s legacy and intellectual spirit is honored and sustained.