Herman Melville and the Politics of the Inhuman

Michael Jonik's book, Herman Melville and the Politics of the Inhuman, offers philosophical readings of Melville's texts that unite political, historical, and biographical approaches, arguing that Melville develops a notion of the inhuman after Spinoza's thought and actively disassembles differences between humans and nonhumans.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 276 pages
\n Publication date: 22 February 2018
\n Publisher: Cambridge University Press
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Herman Melville's writing has been the subject of extensive scholarly analysis, often categorized into two main approaches. The first group of studies focuses on his political, historical, and biographical dimensions, while the second group delves into creative theoretical readings of his texts. In Herman Melville and the Politics of the Inhuman, Michael Jonik presents a comprehensive and innovative series of philosophical interpretations of Melville's work, bringing together these diverse perspectives. By meticulously reconstructing Melville's engagement with philosophy, Jonik argues that Melville develops a notion of the "inhuman" that stems from Spinoza's radically non-anthropocentric and relational thought. At the same time, Melville's political philosophy actively dismantles the boundaries between humans and nonhumans, as well as between the animate and inanimate. Jonik's work challenges us to reexamine our understanding of Melville and our inherent inhuman condition, prompting us to explore new dimensions of his writings and our own existence.

Studies of Herman Melville's writing often divide into two main categories: those that address his political, historical, and biographical dimensions, and those that offer creative theoretical readings of his texts. Within this scholarly landscape, Michael Jonik's book, Herman Melville and the Politics of the Inhuman, stands out as a remarkable contribution. Jonik offers a series of nuanced and ambitious philosophical interpretations of Melville's work, uniting these diverse approaches. Through a meticulous reconstruction of Melville's interaction with philosophy, Jonik demonstrates that Melville develops a notion of the "inhuman" that emerges from Spinoza's radically non-anthropocentric and relational thought.

In his exploration of Melville's philosophical influences, Jonik reveals how Melville's own political philosophy actively dismantles the distinctions between humans and nonhumans, as well as between the animate and inanimate. By challenging our conventional understandings of these categories, Melville's writing prompts us to reevaluate our assumptions about the nature of humanity and our place in the world. Jonik's work not only offers a fresh perspective on Melville's writings but also challenges us to reconsider our own deeply inhuman condition. Through his meticulous analysis and insightful interpretations, Jonik has us rethink not only how we read Melville but also how we understand our complex and often contradictory relationship with the world around us.

\n Weight: 546g\n
Dimension: 162 x 236 x 24 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781108420921\n \n