Jacques Lezra, "Wild Materialism: The Ethic of Terror and the Modern Republic" (Fordham University Press, September 2010):
www.fordhampress.com/detail.html?id=9780823232369
Publisher's description: "Wild Materialism speaks to three related questions in contemporary political philosophy. How, if different social interests and demands are constitutively antagonistic, can social unity emerge out of heterogeneity? Does such unity require corresponding universals, and, if so, what are they, where are they found, or how are they built? Finally, how must the concept of democracy be revised in response to economic globalization, state and nonstate terrorism, and religious, ethnic, or national fundamentalism? Polemically rehabilitating the term terror, Lezra argues that it can and should operate as a social universal. Perched perilously somewhere between the private and the public domains, terror is an experience of unboundable, objectless anxiety. It is something other than an interest held by different classes of people; it is not properly a concept (like equality or security) of the sort universal claims traditionally rest on. Yet terror's conceptual deficiency, Lezra argues, paradoxically provides the only adequate, secular way to articulate ethical with political judgments. Social terror, he dramatically proposes, is the foundation on which critiques of terrorist fundamentalisms must be constructed.
"Opening a groundbreaking methodological dialogue between Freud's work and Althusser's late understanding of aleatory materialism, Lezra shows how an ethic of terror, and in the political sphere a radically democratic republic, can be built on what he calls 'wild materialism.' Wild Materialism combines the close reading of cultural texts with detailed treatment of works in the radical-democratic and radical-republican traditions. The originality of its closely argued theses is matched and complemented by the breadth of its focus – encompassing the debates over the 'ticking bomb' scenario; the circumstances surrounding ETA's assassination of Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco in Madrid in 1973; the films of Gillo Pontecorvo; Sade's republican writing; Marx's Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right; and the roots of contemporary radical republicanism in early modern political theology (Bodin, Shakespeare, Parsons, Siliceo)." (some italics originally bold)
Endorsement: "An urgently contemporary study of the relation between 'terror' as a state of expectancy in relation to an event to come, and 'terrorism' as the deadly deployment of force in situations of radical exploitation and oppression." (Julia Reinhard Lupton, University of California, Irvine)
Jacques Lezra is Professor of Comparative Literature and Spanish and Portuguese at New York University.
Showing posts with label extremism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label extremism. Show all posts
03 November 2010
Public lecture: Žižek on "emancipatory political theology"
New York Public Library (NYPL), Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Celeste Bartos Forum, Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, New York City, USA, 9 November 2010, 7.00 pm
Public lecture by Slavoj Žižek: "God Without the Sacred: The Book of Job, The First Critique of Ideology"
www.nypl.org/events/programs/2010/11/09/salvoj-zizek?nref=56896
Description: "The three religions of the Book each help us to differentiate the divine from the sacred. This liberating concept culminates in Paul's claim, from Ephesians, that 'our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against leaders, against authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual wickedness in the heavens.' Can religious fundamentalism be overcome only with the help of an emancipatory political theology? Philosopher Slavoj Zizek debates this and other incendiary questions [...]."
Slavoj Žižek is a Slovenian philosopher and psychoanalyst, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Sociology, University of Ljubljana, and International Director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities at Birkbeck College, University of London.
$25 general admission, $15 Friends of the NYPL, seniors and students with valid ID. Tickets can be bought from the website above.
Public lecture by Slavoj Žižek: "God Without the Sacred: The Book of Job, The First Critique of Ideology"
www.nypl.org/events/programs/2010/11/09/salvoj-zizek?nref=56896
Description: "The three religions of the Book each help us to differentiate the divine from the sacred. This liberating concept culminates in Paul's claim, from Ephesians, that 'our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against leaders, against authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual wickedness in the heavens.' Can religious fundamentalism be overcome only with the help of an emancipatory political theology? Philosopher Slavoj Zizek debates this and other incendiary questions [...]."
Slavoj Žižek is a Slovenian philosopher and psychoanalyst, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Sociology, University of Ljubljana, and International Director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities at Birkbeck College, University of London.
$25 general admission, $15 Friends of the NYPL, seniors and students with valid ID. Tickets can be bought from the website above.
21 September 2010
Book: Terror, Religion, and Liberal Thought
Just published: Richard B. Miller, "Terror, Religion, and Liberal Thought" (Columbia University Press, September 2010):
http://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-15098-9/terror-religion-and-liberal-thought
Publisher's description: "Religious violence may trigger feelings of repulsion and indignation, especially in a society that encourages toleration and respect, but rejection contradicts the principles of inclusion that define a democracy and its core moral values. How can we think ethically about religious violence and terrorism, especially in the wake of such atrocities as 9/11? Known for his skillful interrogation of ethical issues as they pertain to religion, politics, and culture, Richard B. Miller returns to the basic tenets of liberalism to divine an ethical response to religious extremism. He questions how we should think about the claims and aspirations of political religions, especially when they conflict so deeply with liberal norms and practices, and he suggests how liberal critics can speak confidently in ways that respect cultural and religious difference. Miller explores other concerns within these investigations as well, such as the protection of human rights and a liberal democratic commitment to multicultural politics. In relating religion and ethics, he develops a new lens for viewing political religions and their moral responsibilities. This probing inquiry also forces us to rethink our response to 9/11."
Excerpt: "[I]n chapter 6 I will show how the grounds for thinking about human dignity and human rights provide a basis for dialogue with Muslim political theology."
Richard B. Miller is Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Poynter Center for the Study of Ethics and American Institutions at Indiana University.
http://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-15098-9/terror-religion-and-liberal-thought
Publisher's description: "Religious violence may trigger feelings of repulsion and indignation, especially in a society that encourages toleration and respect, but rejection contradicts the principles of inclusion that define a democracy and its core moral values. How can we think ethically about religious violence and terrorism, especially in the wake of such atrocities as 9/11? Known for his skillful interrogation of ethical issues as they pertain to religion, politics, and culture, Richard B. Miller returns to the basic tenets of liberalism to divine an ethical response to religious extremism. He questions how we should think about the claims and aspirations of political religions, especially when they conflict so deeply with liberal norms and practices, and he suggests how liberal critics can speak confidently in ways that respect cultural and religious difference. Miller explores other concerns within these investigations as well, such as the protection of human rights and a liberal democratic commitment to multicultural politics. In relating religion and ethics, he develops a new lens for viewing political religions and their moral responsibilities. This probing inquiry also forces us to rethink our response to 9/11."
Excerpt: "[I]n chapter 6 I will show how the grounds for thinking about human dignity and human rights provide a basis for dialogue with Muslim political theology."
Richard B. Miller is Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Poynter Center for the Study of Ethics and American Institutions at Indiana University.
14 May 2010
CFP: Religion in International Relations
52nd Annual Convention of the International Studies Association (ISA), Montréal, Canada, 16-19 March 2011
Call for papers for two panels dealing with religion in international relations. (May be of interest to political theology scholars in IR.)
In IR today, religion is a little understood and under-researched area that impacts both the political and international spheres. From development to security, economics and war, terrorism and institutional consciousness, religion is present via identity, language, narratives, or motivations. These panels seek to open a more comprehensive discussion on the exchange between religion and international relations by encouraging theoretical and case-study dialogue as a means of bringing issues of religion out of the shadows of research and the imaginations of academics. In order to critically analyze the nexus of religion and international relations, researchers need to debate the issue of religion rather than constitute it as an anomalous periphery subject.
Theoretical Panel: At this point, religion in IR is debated amongst secularists who exist on the periphery of international studies. This panel seeks to open a discussion on how to best approach religion in its many forms and roles that captures the intensity and relevancy of this field of research. Theoretical frameworks need to be explored so as to intensify a much needed spotlight on the depth of influence religion has in constructing and affecting relations between states. In order to understand international relations, we must understand the complex social forces that constitute states and motivate their decisions, this includes religious forces. Therefore, this panel is seeking papers that can contribute to a discussion on theoretical frameworks we as researchers can use to study religion in international relations.
Innovative Panel: The ISA has developed a new panel program that seeks to innovate conference experience. This panel is proposing a media-oriented approach that will lead to discussion and debate on the issue of religious symbolism in IR. For this, the media will focus on religious iconography from various theo-political movements, religious organizations/institutions, etc. that have been used to motivate or incite radical religious movements from acts of terrorism to peace initiatives. Since this is a relatively new method of panel organization, input from interested contributors is welcome.
Please e-mail proposals to Sandy M. Livingston (University of Aberdeen): slivingston@abdn.ac.uk
Deadlines: Innovative Panel: 14 May 2010; Theoretical Panel: 25 May 2010
Call for papers for two panels dealing with religion in international relations. (May be of interest to political theology scholars in IR.)
In IR today, religion is a little understood and under-researched area that impacts both the political and international spheres. From development to security, economics and war, terrorism and institutional consciousness, religion is present via identity, language, narratives, or motivations. These panels seek to open a more comprehensive discussion on the exchange between religion and international relations by encouraging theoretical and case-study dialogue as a means of bringing issues of religion out of the shadows of research and the imaginations of academics. In order to critically analyze the nexus of religion and international relations, researchers need to debate the issue of religion rather than constitute it as an anomalous periphery subject.
Theoretical Panel: At this point, religion in IR is debated amongst secularists who exist on the periphery of international studies. This panel seeks to open a discussion on how to best approach religion in its many forms and roles that captures the intensity and relevancy of this field of research. Theoretical frameworks need to be explored so as to intensify a much needed spotlight on the depth of influence religion has in constructing and affecting relations between states. In order to understand international relations, we must understand the complex social forces that constitute states and motivate their decisions, this includes religious forces. Therefore, this panel is seeking papers that can contribute to a discussion on theoretical frameworks we as researchers can use to study religion in international relations.
Innovative Panel: The ISA has developed a new panel program that seeks to innovate conference experience. This panel is proposing a media-oriented approach that will lead to discussion and debate on the issue of religious symbolism in IR. For this, the media will focus on religious iconography from various theo-political movements, religious organizations/institutions, etc. that have been used to motivate or incite radical religious movements from acts of terrorism to peace initiatives. Since this is a relatively new method of panel organization, input from interested contributors is welcome.
Please e-mail proposals to Sandy M. Livingston (University of Aberdeen): slivingston@abdn.ac.uk
Deadlines: Innovative Panel: 14 May 2010; Theoretical Panel: 25 May 2010
22 November 2009
Islamic liberation theology author and "Radicals" amongst most influential Muslims
South African Farid Esack, author of "Qur'an, Liberation and Pluralism: an Islamic perspective of interreligious solidarity against oppression" (Oneworld Publications, 1997), has been named one of the world's most influential Muslims.
"The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World" is a 2009 publication by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre (RISSC) in Jordan and Georgetown University's Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding in Washington, DC, USA. The book, which is available free of charge online, was edited by Prof John L. Esposito and Prof Ibrahim Kalin (both Georgetown):
www.rissc.jo/muslim500v-1L.pdf
Esack, recently a Visiting Professor at Harvard Divinity School and identified by the book's editors as "a professor at the University of Johannesburg" (although he appears not now to be listed on that university's website), has found mention in two categories: "Scholarly" and "Issues of the Day".
There is also a whole category of "Radicals" amongst the most influential Muslims, including all the usual suspects, who will subscribe to a form of fundamentalist Islamic political theology entirely different from Esack's.
"The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World" is a 2009 publication by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre (RISSC) in Jordan and Georgetown University's Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding in Washington, DC, USA. The book, which is available free of charge online, was edited by Prof John L. Esposito and Prof Ibrahim Kalin (both Georgetown):
www.rissc.jo/muslim500v-1L.pdf
Esack, recently a Visiting Professor at Harvard Divinity School and identified by the book's editors as "a professor at the University of Johannesburg" (although he appears not now to be listed on that university's website), has found mention in two categories: "Scholarly" and "Issues of the Day".
There is also a whole category of "Radicals" amongst the most influential Muslims, including all the usual suspects, who will subscribe to a form of fundamentalist Islamic political theology entirely different from Esack's.
17 February 2009
Political theology "to the right of God"
Those speaking (reading) German may be interested in an article on the links between the Christian right (in Europe) and political right-wing extremism that appeared in this week's edition of the (notoriously anti-Christian) German magazine “Spiegel”:
www.spiegel.de/spiegel/0,1518,607625,00.html
The argument, in the words of the Vicar General of the Society of St. Pius X, goes that conservatism today has to be political theology (“politische Theologie”) in order to break the dominance of the left and liberalism, thereby casting the cultural hegemony of Islam and the Islamic takeover of urban areas in Western Europe as the enemy that has to be fought off. A conservative counter-revolution, he argues, is impossible without the rediscovery of religion as a public matter, which has to be spiritually based on the Catholic church.
For more on conservatism and political theology, see this 2007 contribution to the political extreme-right publication "Junge Freiheit":
www.jf-archiv.de/archiv07/200723060158.htm
Which essay refers to a little-known political theologian, Nicolás Gómez Dávila:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicol%C3%A1s_G%C3%B3mez_D%C3%A1vila
The central outlet of the proponents of such a political theology, according to the "Spiegel", is a website (“Catholic news”):
www.kreuz.net
There to be found is, for example, a scathing criticism of the "new political theology" of J.B. Metz:
www.kreuz.net/article.7630.html
www.spiegel.de/spiegel/0,1518,607625,00.html
The argument, in the words of the Vicar General of the Society of St. Pius X, goes that conservatism today has to be political theology (“politische Theologie”) in order to break the dominance of the left and liberalism, thereby casting the cultural hegemony of Islam and the Islamic takeover of urban areas in Western Europe as the enemy that has to be fought off. A conservative counter-revolution, he argues, is impossible without the rediscovery of religion as a public matter, which has to be spiritually based on the Catholic church.
For more on conservatism and political theology, see this 2007 contribution to the political extreme-right publication "Junge Freiheit":
www.jf-archiv.de/archiv07/200723060158.htm
Which essay refers to a little-known political theologian, Nicolás Gómez Dávila:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicol%C3%A1s_G%C3%B3mez_D%C3%A1vila
The central outlet of the proponents of such a political theology, according to the "Spiegel", is a website (“Catholic news”):
www.kreuz.net
There to be found is, for example, a scathing criticism of the "new political theology" of J.B. Metz:
www.kreuz.net/article.7630.html
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