Passionate Speech: On The Uses And Abuses Of Anger In Public Debate

In this talk, Alessandra Tanesini, Professor of Philosophy at Cardiff University, discusses two types of anger: the arrogant anger of those who arrogate special entitlements, and the liberatory anger that can be used to good effect in the struggles for equality and recognition. In a world where anger seems to dominate debates in the public sphere, Tanesini will show that arrogant anger is often at the root of intimidation and behaviours designed to humiliate and how on occasion calls for civility actually promote the silencing of liberatory anger.