Roy Chamorro Pinel

In this article we seek to link two theoretical proposals in conflict: feminism and populism. To this end, we will explore the ontological tensions that manifest within each theoretical approach. The working assumption is that any ontology is the result of a configuration given through praxis. It is from this premise that we will show that in the debates within contemporary feminist philosophy there exists a tension between two types of ontologies that explore the problem of affects: autonomist ontology and populist ontology. From there, we will explore the specificities of feminist ontology which leans more toward the Spinozist affective turn, and populist ontology which is more linked to the conflictual legacy that is Marxist in heritage. Then, we will comment on the critiques of populism developed from certain feminist positions, and we will seek, through a displacement toward rhetoric and libidinal investment, i.e., an edifying dialogue between feminism and populism.

ABSTRACT This article analyzes the experience of undocumented immigrants in the United States through José Esteban Muñoz’s conception of “brownness.” It begins by isolating and analyzing major features of brownness and then outlines how these play a role in the undocumented immigrant experience. Part of the analysis of Muñoz’s thought includes underscoring and expanding on the influence that Spinoza’s metaphysics has on his notion of brownness. Importantly, Muñoz’s “sense of brownness” culminates in highlighting the power of resistance that this minoritized position holds. Similarly, this article is a revalorization of the undocumented identity and experience, to not limit it to a passive position of victimhood, but to understand it as a potential source of powerful resistance.