On November 20th, 2025, we held the 29th session of our Political Economy Teach-in Series: “The Art and Activism of Complaining” with Sara Ahmed.

In this session, we explored how complaining, even when it involves entering administrative processes, can be a form of feminist art and activism. We began with the figure of “sister killjoy” introduced by Ama Ata Aidoo, as well as the feminist killjoy, exploring how some of us are heard as complaining, as being negative, because we point to problems, refusing to pass over institutional violence in return for happiness, inclusion or promotion. But saying no to institutions, or to those given power by them, often leads to doors being shut, to voices being silenced, and complaints buried. We discussed ways not just to say no to institutions but to get our nos out of them, and how Saying no can lead us to others who said no, giving much needed solace and solidarity in the face of escalating violence.

Sara Ahmed is a queer feminist scholar of colour based in the UK. Her work is concerned with how power is experienced and challenged in everyday life and institutional cultures. Her most recent book is No Is not a Lonely Utterance: The Art and Activism of Complaining (Allen Lane, 2023). Previous books include The Feminist Killjoy Handbook (2023), also published by Allen Lane, and Complaint! (2021), What’s The Use? On the Uses of Use (2019), Living a Feminist Life (2017), Willful Subjects (2014), On Being Included: Racism and Diversity in Institutional Life (2012), The Promise of Happiness (2010) and Queer Phenomenology: Orientations Objects, Others all published by Duke University Press. She blogs at feministkilljoys.com and has a newsletter https://feministkilljoys.substack.com/  You can also find her on bluesky @saranahmed.bsky.social and instagram @feministkilljoyatwork

Our South Feminist Political Economy Teach-in Series aims to strengthen intergenerational dialogue and build a cross-regional feminist constituency. The series covers various topics to interrogate and strengthen understanding of issues shaping conditions in the Global South.

We have curated a special reading list of resources on the topic of this session, available on our South Feminist Knowledge Hub. It is designed to deepen your understanding of the themes and inspire meaningful discussion – featuring powerful contributions from authors and thinkers across the Global South.