The Ethics of Erasure: On the Practice and Politics of Cultural Expression

Mondal, Anshuman (2026) The Ethics of Erasure: On the Practice and Politics of Cultural Expression. Wasafiri, 41 (1). pp. 40-52. ISSN 0269-0055

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Abstract

Is erasure the antithesis of expression? That is the customary view. I will argue, however, that erasure is, in fact, expression's secret self, always present when expression takes place, haunting the scene of articulation. Looking at examples of everyday erasure, I will explore how they intersect with larger historical erasures and draw out the wider implications for cultural politics, in particular the role of cultural expression in the search for social justice. This is particularly pertinent within our contemporary moment when 'free speech' has become one of the principal sites of political contestation and controversy. The dominant understanding of 'free speech' rests on an antithesis between expression and erasure, so what happens when that opposition is dismantled? And what are the implications for those who want to address long-standing social injustices and inequalities? The essay argues that the practice and politics of cultural expression must also-always involve an ethics of erasure that is attuned to the charismatic singularity of each situation in which difficult judgments must be made.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	free speech,cultural expression,erasure,racism,anti-racism,social justice,rules,ethics,politics,literature and literary theory,general arts and humanities,cultural studies,sdg 16 - peace, justice and strong institutions,sdg 5 - gender equality,sdg 10 - reduced inequalities,3* ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1200/1208
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Research Groups > Modern and Contemporary Writing Research Group
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	20 Feb 2026 14:30
Last Modified:	22 Feb 2026 07:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/101997
DOI:	10.1080/02690055.2026.2578915

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