The Posthuman

Beschreibung

The Posthuman offers both an introduction and major contribution to contemporary debates on the posthuman. Digital 'second life', genetically modified food, advanced prosthetics, robotics and reproductive technologies are familiar facets of our globally linked and technologically mediated societies. This has blurred the traditional distinction between the human and its others, exposing the non-naturalistic structure of the human. The Posthuman starts by exploring the extent to which a post-humanist move displaces the traditional humanistic unity of the subject. Rather than perceiving this situation as a loss of cognitive and moral self-mastery, Braidotti argues that the posthuman helps us make sense of our flexible and multiple identities. Braidotti then analyzes the escalating effects of post-anthropocentric thought, which encompass not only other species, but also the sustainability of our planet as a whole. Because contemporary market economies profit from the control and commodification of all that lives, they result in hybridization, erasing categorical distinctions between the human and other species, seeds, plants, animals and bacteria. These dislocations induced by globalized cultures and economies enable a critique of anthropocentrism, but how reliable are they as indicators of a sustainable future? The Posthuman concludes by considering the implications of these shifts for the institutional practice of the humanities. Braidotti outlines new forms of cosmopolitan neo-humanism that emerge from the spectrum of post-colonial and race studies, as well as gender analysis and environmentalism. The challenge of the posthuman condition consists in seizing the opportunities for new social bonding and community building, while pursuing sustainability and empowerment.

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Rosi Braidotti

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"The Posthuman makes a vital contribution to feministscholarship across disciplines... Braidotti's reading ofcontemporary issues is out of the box: challenging, encouraging andinspiring." Feminist Review "An important and generative step toward new theories andscholarship and a welcome addition to Braidotti's alreadyformidable canon." H+ Magazine "Shows remarkable clarity and concision even as it lays out highlytechnical, complexly theoretical, and deeply interdisciplinaryconcepts." Choice ''This is a rather startling work that requires heavyconcentration on the part of the reader to follow the brilliantthinking of the author. Rosi Braidotti, a contemporary philosopherand feminist theoretician, `makes a case for an alternative view onsubjectivity, ethics and emancipation and pitches diversity againstthe postmodernist risk of cultural relativism, while also standingagainst the tenets of liberal individualism.' Throughout her work,Braidotti asserts and demonstrates the importance of combiningtheoretical concerns with a serious commitment to producingsocially and politically relevant scholarship that contributes tomaking a difference in the world.'' Grady Harp, Literary Aficionado "This is an exciting and important text, full of intellectualbrilliance and insight. It will make a major mark." Henrietta L. Moore, University of Cambridge "Braidotti's exhilarating survey of the constellation ofposthumanity is lucid, learned and provocative. It will be anessential point of reference in future debates about the centralphilosophical problem of our age." Paul Gilroy, King's College London "Debates over humanism and post-humanism have been fought overfrom feminist philosophy to literary theory and post-colonialstudies. This latest work by Rosi Braidotti presents us with aclear-headed glimpse of some of the hard choices we have before us.Braidotti knows the philosophy, cares about the politics, andempathizes with those who have been shoved aside in these brutallast hundred years. She shows us how feminism, technoscientificinfrastructure and political strands cross, sometimes withsparks." Peter Galison, Harvard University
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