The investiture ceremony, held this Monday at the UAB Auditorium, aligns with the theme of the 2025-2026 academic year, “Unidiversitat. Tothom és UAB” (Unidiversity. Everyone is UAB), which emphasizes diversity and inclusion. Butler, a key figure in queer feminist theory and a defender of civil rights, underscored human interdependence, stating that no significant transformation can be built in isolation.
“"There is no way to live without others, and no transformation is built alone."
In her lecture, Butler called for critical thinking and the strengthening of community ties as a foundation for imagining shared futures, especially in a global context marked by conflicts, inequalities, and the climate crisis. The university's rector highlighted her “critical yet hopeful vision” and the influence of her thought beyond academia.
The philosopher insisted that democracies are dynamic and unfinished processes that must generate new horizons of freedom and equality. She also emphasized translation as an essential tool to preserve cultural plurality in the face of global homogenizing tendencies.
Butler's presence in Catalonia continued on Tuesday, May 5, with a public roundtable in Barcelona, titled “Words, bodies, images: rethinking identity in times of resistance”. This session, which brought together Butler with philosopher Chiara Bottici and was moderated by Professor Lupe Romero, was held at Casa Convalescència and served as a prelude to the Fira Literal, scheduled for May 23 and 24 at Fabra i Coats.
