Lyotard and Politics: A Critical Introduction

Description

It is Jean François Lyotard’s political focus that singles him out from his poststructuralist and postmodernist contemporaries. He is invariably 'thinking politics': finding ways of translating philosophical thought into a basis for political action. Stuart Sim explores how Lyotard’s brand of pragmatism can provide a focus for political theory and action in our cultural climate, especially in light of the dramatic resurgence of right-wing extremism. Acknowledgements Introduction: Thinking Politics with Lyotard Lyotard’s Style 1 ‘Philosophical Politics’ in the Twenty-first Century Philosophers and Intellectuals Lyotard’s Postmodernism Peregrinations: Thinking Politics Fluidly Left Populism Posthegemony and Populism Little Narratives and Liberal Democracy Philosophers Against the System 2 Relativism and the Problem of Value Judgement Just Relativising Judging Fascism Judging Lyotard Pragmatic Relativism Conclusion 3 Lyotard and the Post-Marxist Turn The Rise of Post-Marxism Algeria: The Limits of Marxist Thought Libidinal Economy: Marx and Desire The Answer to Grand Narrative: The Postmodern Condition The Viability of Post-Marxism Conclusion 4 The Politics of the Differend The Archipelago and Differends Gender and the Differend The Nation State and the Differend Internal Differends Conclusion 5 The Politics of Heidegger Farías on Heidegger Derrida on Heidegger Lyotard and the Sin of Forgetting Lyotard as Anti-Populist Scapegoating and ‘the jews’ Heidegger Post-Lyotard 6 Thinking the Politics of the Future Of Cyborgs and Cybernetic Systems ‘Can Thought Go On Without a Body?’ Corporate Power and Robot Labour The End is Nigh 7 Aesthetics and Politics Duchamp and Aesthetic Indeterminacy Modernisms and Postmodernisms Newman: No Allusions Monory: No Story Lyotard on Literature Lyotard on Film Lyotard on Television Lyotard on Music Conclusion Conclusion: Towar ds a Politics of the Event Living with Events Svelte Politics Pagan Politics Reassessing the Event Lyotard as a Work of Art Dissension and Invention ‘How to Judge Jean-François Lyotard?’ Bibliography Index