The work of Giorgio Agamben : law, literature, life / edited by Justin Clemens, Nicholas Heron and Alex Murray.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Heron, Nicholas.

Clemens, Justin.

Murray, Alex, 1980-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Agamben, Giorgio, 1942-.

Agamben, Giorgio.

Physical Description:

ix, 214 pages ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, [2008]

Summary:

Giorgio Agamben has emerged, in the past five years, as one of the most important continental philosophers. This burgeoning popularity of his work has largely been confined to a study of the homo sacer series. Yet these later 'political' writings have their foundation in Agamben's earlier works on the philosophy of language, aesthetics and literature. From a philosophy of language and linguistics that leads to a broader theory of representation, Agamben develops a critical theory that attempts to explore the hiatuses and paradoxes that govern discursive practice across a broad range of disciplines.

Gathering some of the most important established and emerging scholars to examine his body of work, this collection of essays seeks to explore Agamben's thought from these broader philosophical and literary concerns, underpinning its place within larger debates in continental philosophy.

Focusing on Agamben's early output on language and literature, this volume will be a valuable addition to the understanding and reception of this major thinker. Including a contribution by Agamben himself makes it essential reading for anyone interested in his corpus.

Contents:

The Enigma of Giorgio Agamben / Justin Clemens, Nicholas Heron, Alex Murray 1

1 K / Giorgio Agamben 13

2 Integral Actuality: On Giorgio Agamben's Idea of Prose / Alexander García Düttmann 28

3 The Role of the Shifter and the Problem of Reference in Giorgio Agamben / Justin Clemens 43

4 'Its Silent Working was a Delusion' / Jessica Whyte 66

5 Politics and Poetics of Divine Violence: On a Figure in Giorgio Agamben and Walter Benjamin / Arne De Boever 82

6 Idea of Poetry, Idea of Prose / Nicholas Heron 97

7 The Fading Memory of Homo non Sacer / Anton Schütz 114

8 Soulblind, or On Profanation / Thanos Zartaloudis 132

9 Face to Face with Agamben; or, the Other in Love / Julian Wolfreys 149

10 Beyond Spectacle and the Image: the Poetics of Guy Debord and Agamben / Alex Murray 164

11 Dismantling Theatricality: Aesthetics of Bare Life / Barbara Formis 181

12 Notes on Media and Biopolitics: 'Notes on Gesture' / Deborah Levitt 193.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780748634620

0748634622

OCLC:

243821247