What World Is This?: A Pandemic Phenomenology

The pandemic has forced us to reevaluate our relationship with the world and our place in it. Judith Butler's book "What World Is This?" explores the conditions in which we seek to make sense of our disorientation, precarity, and social bonds, challenging notions of unlimited personal liberty and the killing forces of racism, sexism, and classism. She argues for a radical social equality and advocates modes of resistance to establish new conditions of livability and a new sense of a shared world.

Format: Hardback
Length: 144 pages
Publication date: 08 November 2022
Publisher: Columbia University Press

The pandemic has sparked a profound reflection on our place in the world, highlighting the intricate ways in which humans rely on one another, share the same air, inhabit the same spaces, and coexist with other porous creatures. Our very existence depends on the resources we require to survive, yet these same resources can also pose a threat to our well-being. How do we navigate this delicate balance?

Judith Butler, in her insightful book "What World Is This?", delves into the challenges posed by COVID-19 and its far-reaching consequences. Through a multidisciplinary approach, drawing from the works of Max Scheler, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and critical feminist phenomenology, Butler offers a fresh perspective on interdependency. She sheds light on the conditions in which we seek to make sense of our disorientation, precarity, and social bonds amidst the chaos and uncertainty of a viral outbreak.

In "What World Is This?", Butler challenges the boundaries of the body and selfhood by exploring the profound connections between touching and breathing. These capacities, which can be life-threatening during a pandemic, challenge our understanding of individuality and self-preservation. Butler argues that the pandemic reveals the potential for shared vulnerabilities as well as the injustice of pervasive inequalities. She critiques notions of unlimited personal liberty and exposes the killing forces of racism, sexism, and classism that perpetuate social divisions.

Through her critical analysis, Butler advocates for a radical social equality that recognizes the essential interrelationship of living creatures. She calls for a shift in our mindset, away from individualism and towards a collective sense of responsibility and belonging. She proposes modes of resistance that seek to establish new conditions of livability and a new sense of a shared world.

In conclusion, the pandemic has compelled us to reevaluate our relationship with the world and with one another. Judith Butler's "What World Is This?" offers a thought-provoking exploration of interdependency, challenging our assumptions and advocating for a more just and equitable society. By recognizing the interconnectedness of all living creatures and the potential for shared vulnerabilities, we can work towards a world that is more resilient, compassionate, and sustainable.

Weight: 280g
Dimension: 148 x 224 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231208284