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: Paperback / softback
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 exist in proximity to other living creatures. Our very existence depends on the resources we require to survive, but 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, capacities that, in the context of a pandemic, can be life-threatening. She questions the notion of unlimited personal liberty and exposes the devastating effects of racism, sexism, and classism on our society. The pandemic serves as a stark reminder of the potential for shared vulnerabilities and the injustice of pervasive inequalities.

Butler advocates for a radical social equality that recognizes the essential interrelationship of all living creatures. She calls for a shift in our mindset, away from individualism and towards a collective understanding of our shared humanity. She proposes modes of resistance that aim to establish new conditions of livability and a renewed sense of a shared world.

Through her thought-provoking analysis, Butler invites us to reevaluate our relationships, our priorities, and our role in shaping a more just and equitable society. She challenges us to confront forms of injustice that deny the interconnectedness of life and work towards a world where the well-being of all is prioritized.

In conclusion, the pandemic has compelled us to confront fundamental questions about our place in the world. Judith Butler's "What World Is This?" provides a valuable lens through which we can explore the complexities of interdependency, challenge boundaries, and advocate for a more just and equitable society. By recognizing our shared vulnerabilities and embracing a collective sense of humanity, we can strive towards a world where the well-being of all is prioritized and where the bonds of social connection are strengthened.

Weight: 208g
Dimension: 142 x 216 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231208291