In the first two chapters of her book vibrant matter, bennett brings out a philosophy that challenges the traditional definition of matter as passive, inactive, and inert. Asceticism and hedonism in research discourses of veganism. Anthropology of infrastructure by marco di nunzio marco di nunzio, lse cities research officer, london school of economics and political science. Jane bennetts vibrant matter is a valuable point of introduction to the speculative turn and a gateway into disciplines cognate with religious and gender studies. Jane bennett s vibrant matter is an important work, linking critical movements in recent continental philosophy, namely a vitalist tradition that runs from bergson to deleuze and even, on bennett s reading, to bruno latour, and on the other hand a political ecology of things that should speak to anyone conscious enough to be aware of the. This is a summary of jane bennetts vibrant matter, along with some of my own arguments about the p olitical implications of her work. Toward that end, she theorizes a vital materiality that runs through and across. Jane bennett, professor of political theory at the department of political science at johns hopkins university, published her awaited book vibrant matter. When humans are but one force in a potentially unbounded network of forces. Mar 12, 2010 in vibrant matter the political theorist jane bennett, renowned for her work on nature, ethics, and affect, shifts her focus from the human experience of things to things themselves. A political ecology of things a john hope franklin center book. Jane bennetts vibrant matter is an important work, linking critical movements in recent continental philosophy, namely a vitalist tradition that runs from bergson to deleuze and even, on bennetts reading, to bruno latour, and on the other hand a political ecology of things that should speak to anyone conscious enough to be aware of the devastating changes underway in the world. Bennett is professor and chair of the department of political science at johns hopkins. Erik stolterman is a professor of informatics and director of the human computer interaction program at the school of informatics and computing, indiana university, bloomington.
Ethics, politics, and the wild, and an editor of the politics of moralizing and in the nature of things. Toward that end, she theorizes a vital materiality that runs through and. Bennett claims that her ambition is to develop a positive ontology of matter as vibrant, and to dismantle the divisions between the binaries lifematter. In a new book by jane bennett vibrant matter a political ecology of things one such position is presented. Vibrant matteroverview philosophy in a time of error. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading vibrant matter. In the preface of vibrant matter 2010, jane bennett highlights that her philosophical project is based on the perception that matter is passive, inert and dull while life and beings are active and vibrant. A vitalist stopover on the way to a new materialism. Jane bennetts vibrant matter is an important work, linking critical movements in recent continental philosophy, namely a vitalist tradition that runs from bergson to deleuze and even, on bennetts reading, bruno latour, with a political ecology of things that should speak to anyone conscious enough to be aware of the devastating. A political ecology of things by jane bennett duke university press. Vibrant matter is a fascinating, lucid, and powerful book of political theory. Jane bennett s vibrant matter is an important work, linking critical movements in recent continental philosophy, namely a vitalist tradition that runs from bergson to deleuze and even, on bennett s reading, to bruno latour, and on the other hand a political ecology of things that should speak to anyone conscious enough to be aware of the devastating changes underway in the world. William connolly has described the umbrella term as containing the following impulses. Vital new matters the speculative turn in the study.
The impact of new materialism on the study of rhetoric is indefinite, but one cannot deny the fact that it is having an impact. He is also coeditorinchief for the acm interactions magazine and an editor for the design theory book series for mit press. Jane bennett, a vitalist stopover on the way to a new materialism, in diana coole and samantha frost, eds, new materialisms. Apr 25, 2018 bennetts 2010 book vibrant matter argues that agency is only distributed and is never the effect of intentionality. She was also the editor of the academic journal political theory between 20122017. Contents preface vii acknowledgments xxi 1 the force ofthings 1 2 the agencyofassernblages 20 3 edible matter 39 4 a life ofmetal 52 5 neither vitalisrn nor mechanisrn 62 6 stern cells and the culture of life 82 7 political ecologies 94. At the 2011 western literature association conference. A political ecology of things a john hope franklin center book kindle edition by bennett, jane. Bennett 2010,23describesassemblagesasad hocgroupingsofdiverseelements,ofvibrantmaterials of all sorts. Using the objectoriented philosophy of graham harman as a theoretical and also practical starting point, the thesis looks to provide an account of the jpeg digital object and its enfolding within the governmental scopic regime. Contents preface vii acknowledgments xxi 1 the force ofthings 1. Bennetts 2010 notion of vibrant matter is a key tool in this exploration, as. The impact of new materialism on the study of rhetoric is indefinite. The dichotomy of matter on the one hand and living beings.
Bennetts most substantial work in this domain is her monograph, vibrant matter 2010, which works towards animating and arguing for an autonomy in certain nonhuman entities. The scholarly feminist movement led by physicists barad, 2007, political scientists bennett, 2010. Bennett claims that her ambition is to develop a positive ontology of matter as vibrant, and to dismantle the divisions between the binaries life matter, humananimal, organicinorganic, and to do this with the purpose of. A friend read this post and noted that jane bennett doesnt even really cover some of the stuff im talking about below. Journal of material culture the politics of vibrant matter.
Bennetts 2010 book vibrant matter argues that agency is only distributed and is never the effect of intentionality. May 25, 2010 jane bennetts vibrant matter is an important work, linking critical movements in recent continental philosophy, namely a vitalist tradition that runs from bergson to deleuze and even, on bennetts reading, bruno latour, with a political ecology of things that should speak to anyone conscious enough to be aware of the devastating. Jane bennett vibrant matter a political ecology of things duke university press durham and london 2010. The following is a very short thing written for a panel discussion on posthuman conceptions of community at the university of manitoba, 3 feb 2017 in her book vibrant matter, jane bennett develops. The doing of material geographies within the subdiscipline of cultural geography has been inspired by jane bennetts 2010 account of vibrant matter.
The thesis, together with its practiceresearch works, presents an objectoriented perspective on the jpeg standard. Her distinctive notion of vibrant matter invokes a new and different political imaginary outside the hegelian and psychoanalytic framework of the subject and objectother relation. Apr 22, 2010 jane bennetts vibrant matter is an important work, linking critical movements in recent continental philosophy, namely a vitalist tradition that runs from bergson to deleuze and even, on bennetts reading, bruno latour, with a political ecology of things that should speak to anyone conscious enough to be aware of the devastating. The title is self explanatory, but i will note these are uncorrected proofs. Vibrant matter is a lucid and compelling account of how materiality, too often considered as an inert substance, can be rethought as a plethora of things that form assemblages of human and nonhuman actors or actants, to use the term bennett takes from bruno latour. Readingsmaterial assemblages and affective atmospheres. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. This cited by count includes citations to the following articles in scholar. Jan 04, 2010 in vibrant matter the political theorist jane bennett, renowned for her work on nature, ethics, and affect, shifts her focus from the human experience of things to things themselves. Nature and history in american political development.
The article argues that to work with an understanding of place as assemblage requires a pedagogy that is cognizant of the assembled nature of all matter that makes up a place heise, 2008. May 11, 2010 in a new book by jane bennett vibrant matter a political ecology of things one such position is presented. Bennett 2010,23describesassemblagesasad hocgroupingsofdiverseelements,ofvibrantmate. Jane bennett is professor of political theory and chair of the department of political science at johns hopkins university.
Vibrant matter a john hope franklin center book jane bennett vibrant matter a political ecology of things duke uni. Jane bennett born july 31, 1957 is an american political theorist and philosopher. The ones marked may be different from the article in the profile. Her distinctive notion of vibrant matter invokes a new and different political imaginary outside the hegelian and psychoanalytic framework of the. Attachments, crossings, and ethics and thoreaus nature. In vibrant matter the political theorist jane bennett, renowned for her work on nature, ethics, and affect, shifts her. Bennetts thingpower exemplifies the ability of objects to manifest a lively kind of agency. Beyond human subjectivity and back to the things themselves. Stoltermans main work is within interaction design, philosophy and theory of design. Merged citations this cited by count includes citations to the following articles in scholar.
She is the author of the enchantment of modern life. These are notes and passages that i prepared for a presentation for the yearlong, graduatedirected ecomaterialisms collective. The presentation was on jane bennett s vibrant matter 2009 during the spring quarter of 2015. A political ecology of things 2010 the broader ism has been percolating for a long time and touches a number of postlinguistic turns in the academy.
In vibrant matter the political theorist jane bennett, renowned for her work on nature, ethics, and affect, shifts her focus from the human experience of. Mellon professor of the humanities at the department of political science, johns hopkins university school of arts and sciences. Bennett argues that political theory needs to do a better job of recognizing the active participation of nonhuman forces in events. Cities, technical systems and institutional connections page 1 governing infrastructure interfaces research note 01 june 2018 anthropology of infrastructure by marco di nunzio marco di nunzio, lse cities research officer, london school of economics and political science. In vibrant matter the political theorist jane bennett, renowned for her work on nature, ethics, and affect, shifts her focus from the human experience of things to things themselves. A political ecology of things has itself been a vibrant matter of attention since its publication earlier this year. This is a summary of jane bennetts vibrant matter, along with some of my own arguments about the p olitical implications of her work ok, disclaimer. By focusing on the thingside of affect, jane bennett seeks to broaden and transform our sense of care in relation to the world of humans, nonhuman life, and things. Simple but important questions, such as how new materialism differs from either rhetorical materialism or material. However, in modern philosophy there is a new trend that is bringing the importance of objects and matter back into our focus. Feb 04, 2017 the following is a very short thing written for a panel discussion on posthuman conceptions of community at the university of manitoba, 3 feb 2017 in her book vibrant matter, jane bennett develops.
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