Season 2: Architecture X Media Studies
Ep. 27: Politics of Representation, Fahad Zuberi
Fahad Zuberi delivers a sharp, historically grounded critique of how architecture is represented in India, tracing its journey from the ancient glorification of rulers to the colonial manipulation of meaning and the current dominance of PR-driven narratives. He argues that all representation is inherently political, shaped by the values and goals of those in power, and warns against the dilution of meaning when criticality is replaced by commercialism. Fahad distinguishes genuine critique—rooted in hope, ethical responsibility, and the aspiration for a better future—from cynicism and empty praise, emphasizing the need for rigorous theory, public engagement, and investment in the humanities. He calls for a clear separation between PR and criticism, urges architectural media to reclaim meaning and judgment, and insists that building a thoughtful, critical discourse is essential for shaping the worlds we want to inhabit.
Guest: Fahad Zuberi
Designation: Academic & Columnist, Doctoral Scholar (Architectural History, Theory & Criticism)—Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
Bio: Fahad is an academic and columnist, currently pursuing a PhD at MIT's Department of Architecture HTC. His work focuses on the intersection of architecture and violence, particularly in South Asian contexts. Fahad studied B. Arch at Aligarh Muslim University, an M. Arch HTC at CEPT University, Ahmedabad, and then pursued an MSc in Modern South Asian Studies at the University of Oxford as the Indira Gandhi Radhakrishnan Scholar with the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development, where he was awarded the Archibald Jackson Prize 2024 and Scholars Development Award 2024 for his work on Domicide.
Fahad has taught Architecture and Design Philosophy at CEPT University and at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad as visiting faculty and is a columnist and political commentator with several Indian platforms, such as The Indian Express, The Hindu, The Wire, and The Hindustan Times. Fahad has also worked as a comics journalist and in electoral politics, and seldom composes music. He is the Producer of Mutant: The Democracy Podcast—conceived as a contemporary dictionary of politics—with the Institute of New Global Politics, Cal Poly Pomona, and his first feature-length film as a Music Director - Kayo Kayo Colour?—premiered at IFF, Rotterdam 2023.
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