Retranslating Philosophy: The Role of Plato's Republic in Shaping and Understanding Politics and Philosophy in Modern Greece (original) (raw)
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First of all, I thank Allah (God) for providing me with a robust will and patience to commence this work, as well as to finish it. Special thanks to my supervisor Dr Dombi for her decent guidance and instructions, her precious remarks and succor throughout the writing process. I would like to thank my family for their endless support and motivation during the two years studying masters abroad. Also, many thanks to my friends, whom I consider like a second family, for being beside anytime I needed them.
Without the patience and assistance of my committee, this dissertation would have been entirely impossible. To my director, Dr. Greg Stone, for introducing me to the works of Ernesto Grassi and therefore without whom this dissertation would quite literally have been completely impossible. To Dr. Adelaide Russo for her kindness, dedication to the students in the program and most of all for her unwavering confidence in our ability to succeed. I am quite convinced that you believe in all of us much more than we believe in ourselves. To Dr. Willie Major for first initiating me into the world of Greek language and literature a decade ago. It has quite literally changed my entire life. To Dr. Ed Henderson who has been a mentor and a friend through the rough terrain of philosophy-especially where it intersects the theological-and endured with me on this study, despite his retirement, which removed from Louisiana State University such a wonderful and warm presence in the classroom. Finally, among the faculty, I would like to give a special acknowledgement to Dr. Ian Crystal who served as the Dean's Representative during my general exams but subsequently tragically passed away, far too young. Dr. Crystal provided me with my first formal instruction in philosophy and was my companion through the sea of the Presocratics, Plato and the Hellenistic philosophers for many years. He is sorely missed. Outside of the faculty, I would like to give a special thanks and acknowledgement to my wife, who helped me with this dissertation in ways which are too numerous to count; to Ryan Carruth, who assisted me in the editing process (though, of course, all remaining errors are entirely my own); and to my mother, without whose assistance with my young daughter this composition would have been completely impossible. Finally, I would like to thank my father for inspiring me with a life long desire for learning and a critical stance towards the world.
2018
Feldman, whose patient guidance over the course of the past two and a half years has made this project possible. In my first semester at the CUNY Graduate Center I enrolled in Lennie's seminar; and the discussions that ensued sowed the seeds that have developed into this thesis. In Lennie's seminar, my classmates and I were given both the structure and the freedom required to excel, and we delved into the texts vigorously. It was there that I was first introduced to the work of Jacques Rancière, with which I was initially quite enamored. I wrote a short paper on his theory of politics that advanced some reserved criticisms. Lennie's handwritten comments read: "I think there is a sharper critique of Rancière lurking in here." It seems that he was right about that, and I'm thankful that he encouraged me to keep digging deeper. His constructive criticisms have improved my ability to put together my arguments in a more cohesive manner, to eliminate unnecessary arguments, and to better separate the various distinct perspectives (mine included) that appear in my writing. Lennie also guided me during my first semester of teaching discussion sections at Hunter College. He was available throughout each week to discuss both the subject matter we were teaching and the pedagogical strategies I was trying out. From my first semester in graduate school, to my first semester teaching, to my final frantic months of writing and editing this thesis, Lennie has been supportive, kind, and generous every step of the way. Lennie is the kind of professor who teaches by casually and carefully encouraging the student down their own path, setting them at ease with his relaxed demeanor, but pushing them beyond themselves with his targeted attention; he has enabled me to grow through an activity that appears passive, but which is in fact incredibly attentive to my unique strengths and weaknesses. This is true teaching. Thank you. I would also like to thank Dr. Susan Buck-Morss, who has been incredibly supportive of my various intellectual endeavors, whose classes have been invigorating, and whose feedback on viii my writing has been a big help. The first part of Chapter Four originated with a short paper I wrote in her seminar during my second semester at the Graduate Center (Spring 2016). Chapter Four as a whole was presented at the Radical Democracy Conference hosted by the New School's Department of Politics in May of 2017, and was workshopped in the Politics and Protest Workshop hosted by the Political Science department at the Graduate Center in October of 2017. The feedback from the participants of both venues was invaluable. I would like to thank Dr. Jack Crittenden and Dr. Albert Celoza from my days as an undergraduate. Without the growth they facilitated, this work would not have been possible. With the help of Albert I first learned about international political economy, became involved in local political organizing, and was able to visualize the connection between the two. With the guidance of Jack, I slowly honed my writing ability thanks to the weekly task of workshopping two student papers in each seminar he taught, and thanks to his incredibly detailed feedback on our work. I can also thank Jack for my deep appreciation of Plato, whose Republic I read no less than six times in Jack's classes alone. I would also like to thank my classmates and friends at the Graduate Center for the great conversations and collaborations that we've shared. The atmosphere of the university played no small part in my intellectual development these last two and a half years. In particular, I would like to thank Jennifer Cruz-Marulanda, with whom I have shared many conversations about various aspects of Rancière's work, and whose keen insights have significantly influenced the trajectory of this thesis, especially Chapters Two and Three, where I elaborate and critique Rancière's ontological assumptions. When I was at my wit's end with this project, Jenn was there to help me through the maze… and also to remind me to take a break when I needed to. B Lee Aultman has also been a huge help in the development of this thesis. In particular, our ix conversations about Heidegger and Hegel have nourished my thinking for the past two years. My experience at the Graduate Center would not have been the same without Jenn and B. I also owe a huge thanks to Cameron Keys, whose conversations and feedback have been helpful throughout the project, and whose proofreading was invaluable in clarifying and strengthening certain arguments throughout the thesis. I am also indebted to my circle of friends from Phoenix, from whom I have learned so much, and who first initiated me into the world of graduate studies. Finally, I would like to thank my family, who, more than anybody else, have made me into the person I am today, and who have given me the fortitude I needed at times when I've been discouraged or frustrated with this work. Thanks to my parents, who have always encouraged me to pursue my own goals, and to my sisters, who have always been my pals ever since I can remember.