Critical Affect: The Politics of Method

Critical Affect explores the emotional complexity of critique and its enduring value for the turn to affect and ontology, showing how suspicion and decoding remain vital in civic and academic spaces. It raises crucial questions about the ethics of practicing theory and offers a new route into the critical study of affect.

Format: Hardback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 30 June 2020
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Critical Affect: A Journey into the Emotional Complexity of Critique and Its Enduring Value for the Turn to Affect and Ontology
Critical Affect, a thought-provoking book by Ashley Barnwell, delves into the emotional complexity of critique and its enduring significance in the shift towards affect and ontology. Through a series of captivating close readings, Barnwell reveals how suspicion and decoding methods remain essential in both civic and academic spaces, where concerns about precarity, transparency, and security are prevalent, and the question of how we verify the truth has become one of the most divisive issues of our time. By weaving together the critical and affective dimensions of paranoid reading, Critical Affect opens up crucial questions about the ethics of practicing theory and provides a fresh perspective on the critical study of affect.
In the first chapter, Barnwell explores the historical roots of critique and its evolution into a more affective approach. She argues that critique has always been concerned with the emotional impact of power and that the turn to affect and ontology has allowed us to better understand the ways in which emotions shape our understanding of the world. Barnwell highlights the work of feminist theorists such as Luce Irigaray and Judith Butler, who have shown how emotions are not merely subjective experiences but also have a social and political dimension.
In the second chapter, Barnwell examines the role of suspicion in critique. She argues that suspicion is not simply a negative emotion but can also be a productive force that can lead to social change. Barnwell provides examples of how suspicion has been used in various contexts, from political activism to literary criticism, to challenge dominant power structures and expose hidden truths. However, she also cautions against the dangers of excessive suspicion, which can lead to paranoia and a loss of trust.
In the third chapter, Barnwell explores the methods of decoding used in critique. She argues that decoding is not simply a technical process but is also a cultural and political act. Barnwell provides examples of how decoding has been used to interpret texts, images, and other cultural artifacts and to understand the ways in which they shape our understanding of the world. However, she also cautions against the dangers of decoding that can lead to essentialism and a loss of nuance.
In the fourth chapter, Barnwell examines the ethical implications of practicing theory. She argues that theory is not merely a set of abstract ideas but is also a practice that has real-world consequences. Barnwell provides examples of how theory has been used to justify harmful practices such as colonialism and slavery and to promote social justice. However, she also cautions against the dangers of theory that can lead to dogmatism and a loss of empathy.
In the final chapter, Barnwell offers a new route into the critical study of affect. She argues that affect is not merely a subjective experience but is also a social and political force that shapes our understanding of the world. Barnwell provides examples of how affect has been used in various contexts, from political activism to literary criticism, to challenge dominant power structures and promote social change. However, she also cautions against the dangers of affect that can lead to superficiality and a loss of depth.
Critical Affect is a timely and important book that offers a fresh perspective on the critical study of affect and its enduring value for the turn to affect and ontology. Through a series of vivid close readings, Barnwell reveals how suspicion and methods of decoding remain vital to both civic and academic spaces, where concerns about precarity, transparency, and security are commonplace and the question of how we verify the truth is one of the most polarising of our age. By weaving together the critical and affective dimensions of paranoid reading, Critical Affect opens up crucial questions about the ethics of practicing theory and provides a new route into the critical study of affect.

Weight: 340g
Dimension: 144 x 222 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474451321