Ecce Humanitas: Beholding the Pain of Humanity

The concept of humanity is in crisis, and without it, we cannot respond to the inhumane violence that overwhelms our political and philosophical registers. Ecce Humanitas recasts the fall of liberal humanism and offers a critical exploration of violence and the sacred. Brad Evans critiques the aestheticization of violence and calls for liberating the political imagination from the scene of sacrifice. A new aesthetics provides a form of transgressive witnessing that challenges the ubiquity of violence and allows us to imagine a truly liberated humanity.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 352 pages
\n Publication date: 20 July 2021
\n Publisher: Columbia University Press
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The notion of humanity faces a profound crisis, born in the aftermath of immense destruction and the tragic loss of millions of lives. The liberal conception of humanity envisioned a suffering victim in need of salvation, but today, this figure seems less capable of inspiring political imagination. Without it, how can we respond to the inhumane violence that saturates our political and philosophical realms? How can we make sense of the violence perpetrated in the name of humanism? And how can we cultivate more ethical relations without becoming dependent on the pain of others?

Ecce Humanitas offers a critical exploration of violence and the sacred, challenging the fall of liberal humanism. Brad Evans provides a comprehensive analysis of the evolving nature of sacrificial violence, tracing its theological origins to its exhaustion in the contemporary world. He critiques the aestheticization that transforms victims into sacred objects, perpetuating a cycle of violence that is perceived as natural and inevitable. Through novel readings of classic and contemporary works, Evans uncovers the sacralization of violence and explores the potential of art to incite resistance.

Countering the ongoing annihilation of life, Ecce Humanitas calls for liberating the political imagination from the realm of sacrifice. It advocates for a new aesthetics that provides a form of transgressive witnessing, challenging the ubiquity of violence and enabling us to envision a truly liberated humanity.

In conclusion, the notion of humanity faces a crisis, but Ecce Humanitas provides a path forward. By challenging the fall of liberal humanism, offering a critical exploration of violence and the sacred, and advocating for a new aesthetics, we can cultivate more ethical relations and envision a world beyond humanism. The time has come to break free from the cycle of sacrifice and embrace a future that values life, dignity, and the sacredness of all human beings.

\n Weight: 512g\n
Dimension: 157 x 235 x 21 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780231184632\n \n