Critical Theory and New Materialisms

This book explores the differences and potential connections between critical theory and new materialism, focusing on contemporary philosophy and social theory questions. It highlights convergences between the two traditions and prepares the ground for a more direct confrontation and cross-fertilization.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 206 pages
Publication date: 09 January 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book brings together authors from two distinct intellectual traditions, critical theory and new materialism, which have largely developed independently of each other. By focusing on some of the most pressing questions of contemporary philosophy and social theory, particularly those related to the status of long-standing and contested separations between matter and life, the biological and the symbolic, passivity and agency, affectivity and rationality, it aims to explore the fundamental differences and potential connections between these two schools of thought.

Recent developments in both traditions suggest significant convergences, laying the groundwork for a more direct confrontation and cross-fertilization. The first volume to promote a dialogue between critical theory and new materialism, this collection examines the implications for contemporary debates on ecology, gender, biopolitics, post-humanism, economics, and aesthetics. It will appeal to philosophers, social and political theorists, and sociologists with interests in contemporary critical theory and materialism.

Critical theory and new materialism are two intellectual traditions that have developed largely independently of each other. While critical theory has traditionally focused on the analysis of power and ideology, new materialism has emphasized the role of material processes and objects in shaping human experiences and social structures.

One of the key differences between these two traditions is their approach to the concept of agency. Critical theory tends to emphasize the role of human agents as active creators of meaning and social change, while new materialism emphasizes the agency of non-human actors, such as technologies and natural processes.

Another difference is their approach to the relationship between matter and life. Critical theory often sees matter as a passive substance that is shaped by human agents and their ideologies, while new materialism sees matter as an active agent that shapes human experiences and social structures.

Despite these differences, there are also potential connections between critical theory and new materialism. For example, both traditions have been interested in the role of technology in shaping human experiences and social structures. Both traditions have also been concerned with the relationship between power and knowledge, and how these relationships are mediated by material processes and objects.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the intersection of critical theory and new materialism. This interest has been driven by the need to address the complex and interconnected challenges facing society today, such as climate change, economic inequality, and the rise of authoritarianism.

One of the key challenges facing society today is the issue of climate change. Climate change is a result of human activity, but it is also shaped by material processes and objects, such as the carbon cycle, the oceans, and the atmosphere. Critical theory and new materialism can both contribute to our understanding of climate change by exploring the ways in which human agency and material processes interact.

Another challenge facing society today is economic inequality. Economic inequality is a result of the unequal distribution of resources and power, and it is also shaped by material processes and objects, such as the global economy, technology, and labor markets. Critical theory and new materialism can both contribute to our understanding of economic inequality by exploring the ways in which power and ideology are mediated by material processes and objects.

Finally, another challenge facing society today is the rise of authoritarianism. Authoritarianism is a form of government that relies on the repression of political opposition and the concentration of power in the hands of a few. Authoritarianism is also shaped by material processes and objects, such as the media, technology, and the military. Critical theory and new materialism can both contribute to our understanding of authoritarianism by exploring the ways in which power and ideology are mediated by material processes and objects.

In conclusion, critical theory and new materialism are two intellectual traditions that have developed largely independently of each other. While there are significant differences between these two traditions, there are also potential connections between them. By exploring the ways in which human agency and material processes interact, we can better understand the complex and interconnected challenges facing society today.

Weight: 340g
Dimension: 154 x 235 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032020518