Erasing History: A Conversation Between Jason Stanley, Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy, Yale University and Milton S.F. Curry, Professor of Architecture and Senior Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Engagement at Cornell University. Introduced and hosted by Joan Kee, Director of the NYU Institute of Fine Arts and CriticalProductive Editorial Collective member.

Join us for a compelling evening featuring bestselling author and philosopher Jason Stanley and esteemed architect and professor Milton S.F. Curry as they delve into the intricate themes of historical and architectural erasure. This event, centered around Stanley’s new book, Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future (Simon & Schuster) and Curry’s pioneering journal, CriticalProductive: A Journal of Architectural Urbanism and Cultural Theory (MIT Press), promises to provoke thought and inspire dialogue. Stanley and Curry will explore how erasures manifest in both history and architecture, examining the implications of these processes on our collective future. Stanley’s work dissects the mechanisms by which authoritarian regimes manipulate historical narratives, while Curry provides critical insights into the built environment and its role in shaping cultural memory.

Central to the discussion is the distinction between acceptable architectural erasures—those that contribute to progress—and problematic ones that reinforce oppressive ideologies. This conversation will also touch upon the relationship between architectural erasures and educational erasures, highlighting the ways in which both shape our understanding of the world. In addition, Stanley and Curry address the pervasive concept of “decadence” within contemporary right-wing politics, unpacking how this term is leveraged to undermine progressive narratives. This event offers a unique opportunity to engage with two thinkers as they explore the core values of democracy, and the fascist forces eroding free expression and open intellectual inquiry today.

Jason Stanley is the Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy at Yale University and a member of CriticalProductive Journal‘s Editorial Collective. He is the author of six books, including How Fascism Works and How Propaganda Works. Stanley is a member of the Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School and serves on the advisory board of the Prison Policy Initiative. He writes frequently about authoritarianism, democracy, propaganda, free speech, and mass incarceration for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Project Syndicate, and many other publications.

Milton S. F. Curry is a Professor of Architecture and Senior Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Engagement at Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning (AAP); founding editor of CriticalProductive Journal; and principal of Milton Curry ProjectStudio design consultancy. In addition to publications on architecture race theory, and diversity in the practice and profession of architecture, Curry is leading the curatorial team at work on three exhibitions on the life and work of the award-winning LA-based Black architect Paul R. Williams, slated to open simultaneously at LACMA, the USC Fisher Museum of Art, and the Getty Research Institute in 2026.