Agamben and Politics: A Critical Introduction - Paperback

by Sergei Prozorov (Author)

Tracing how the logic of inoperativity works in the domains of language, law, history and humanity, 'Agamben and Politics' systematically introduces the fundamental concepts of Agamben's political thought and a critically interprets his insights in the wider context of contemporary philosophy.

Front Jacket

A critical introduction to Giorgio Agamben's political thought that highlights its affirmative dimension Agamben and Politics is among the first book-length introductions to the political dimension of the work of the Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben. Rapidly becoming one of the most celebrated and controversial contemporary thinkers, Agamben has not merely made an original contribution to 'first-philosophical' debates, but also deployed his ontological insights as a foundation for an innovative mode of political thought. While Agamben's commentators and critics tend to focus on his powerful critique of the Western political tradition in the Homo Sacer series, this narrow focus serves to obscure the overall structure of Agamben's political thought which is neither negative nor critical, but affirmative. This book elucidates this affirmative mood of Agamben's political thought, focusing on the concept of inoperativity, which has been central to Agamben's work from the earliest writings onwards. Tracing the operation of the logic of inoperativity in the domains of language, law, history and humanity, Agamben and Politics offers both a systematic and accessible introduction to the fundamental concepts of Agamben's political thought and a critical interpretation of his insights in the wider philosophical context. Sergei Prozorov is University Lecturer in World Politics and Academy of Finland Research Fellow at the Department of Political and Economic Studies, University of Helsinki. He is the author of six monographs, the most recent being Ontology and World Politics and Theory of the Political Subject (both 2013), and numerous journal articles on political philosophy and international relations. Cover illustration and design: [EUP logo] www.euppublishing.com

Author Biography

Sergei Prozorov is Professor of Political Science at the University of Jyväskylä. He is the author of books including The Biopolitics of Stalinism (2016) and Agamben and Politics (2014), also published by Edinburgh University Press. He has published over 30 articles in major international journals. His research interests include political philosophy, theories of democracy and totalitarianism, biopolitics and governance.