Philosopher Slavoj Žižek on His Hero Malcolm X

Tonight, I'm joined by Slavoj Žižek, arguably the world's best-known living philosopher. Dubbed "the most dangerous philosopher in the West," the influential cultural critic has published more than fifty books and is the subject of multiple documentaries exploring culture, theology, and political theory. His unorthodox style and popular works in various media have earned him an audience that spans beyond traditional academic circles. Žižek currently serves as the International Director of the Birkbeck Institute For The Humanities at The University of London, and Senior Researcher at the Institute for Sociology and Philosophy at the University of Ljubljana in his home country of Slovenia.

In the clip below, Professor Žižek shares his deep admiration for Malcolm X, whose insights Žižek believes reached the height of contemporary philosophy.

For more of our conversation, be sure to tune in to Tavis Smiley on PBS. Check our website for your local TV listings: www.pbs.org/tavis.