The Government of Things
eBook - ePub

The Government of Things

Foucault and the New Materialisms

  1. 309 pages
  2. English
  3. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

The Government of Things

Foucault and the New Materialisms

About this book

Examines the theoretical achievements and the political impact of the new materialisms
Materialism, a rich philosophical tradition that goes back to antiquity, is currently undergoing a renaissance. In The Government of Things, Thomas Lemke provides a comprehensive overview and critical assessment of this "new materialism". In analyzing the work of Graham Harman, Jane Bennett, and Karen Barad, Lemke articulates what, exactly, new materialism is and how it has evolved. These insights open up new spaces for critical thought and political experimentation, overcoming the limits of anthropocentrism.
Drawing on Michel Foucault's concept of a "government of things", the book also goes beyond new materialist scholarship which tends to displace political questions by ethical and aesthetic concerns. It puts forward a relational and performative account of materialities that more closely attends to the interplay of epistemological, ontological, and political issues.
Lemke provides definitive and much-needed clarity about the fascinating potential—and limitations—of new materialism as a whole. The Government of Things revisits Foucault's more-than-human understanding of government to capture a new constellation of power: "environmentality". As the book demonstrates, contemporary modes of government seek to control the social, ecological, and technological conditions of life rather than directly targeting individuals and populations. The book offers an essential and much needed tool to critically examine this political shift.

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Yes, you can access The Government of Things by Thomas Lemke in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Philosophy & Philosophers. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Publisher
NYU Press
Year
2023
Print ISBN
9781479829934

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents
  5. Introduction
  6. Part I: Varieties of Materialism
  7. Part II: Elements of a More-Than-Human Analytics of Government
  8. Part III: Toward a Relational Materialism
  9. Acknowledgments
  10. Notes
  11. Bibliography
  12. Index
  13. About the Author