Description
The Political Space
Book Summary
A key work for understanding the so-called "spatial turn" in contemporary political theory. Authors Francisco Colom and Ángel Rivero analyze how space, and not just time, has become a fundamental dimension for understanding power relations and the constitution of the political. This book offers a renewed look at classic problems of political philosophy, exploring how "place" operates as a normatively constituted realm that pre-conditions political action. An essential read for those seeking updated conceptual tools in political science, social theory, and geopolitics.
What is it about?
The work is part of the current of thought that, following the decline of structuralism, has revalued the category of space against the traditional primacy of time and chronology in political analysis. The authors examine how the so-called "spatial turn" joins other epistemic turns (linguistic, aesthetic, iconic) to offer a new perspective on politics. The central argument is that space is not a mere passive setting where political phenomena occur, but rather operates in a pre-constitutive way—that is, it conditions and shapes political relations from their origin. Through this topological approach, classic problems of political philosophy are addressed with a renewed gaze, focusing on "place" as a normatively constituted realm that deserves to be studied in its own right.
Main Topics
- The spatial turn in the humanities and its impact on political theory.
- The relationship between space, power, and the normative constitution of the political.
- The critique of the primacy of time and chronology in classic political analysis.
- Political topology as a tool for rethinking problems of political philosophy.
- The intersection between geopolitics, social theory, and the history of ideas.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at students, academics, and researchers in political science, political philosophy, social theory, geopolitics, and the history of ideas. It is also of great interest to readers with a background in the humanities who wish to explore the most recent theoretical currents regarding space and its relationship with power. It is an advanced-level work that presupposes a certain familiarity with the debates of contemporary political philosophy.
What this book contributes
- A deep and updated understanding of the spatial turn and its relevance to political theory.
- Conceptual tools to analyze how space conditions and constitutes power relations.
- A new perspective for addressing classic problems of political philosophy from a topological approach.
- A critical view of the tradition that has prioritized time over space in political analysis.
- A solid theoretical framework for those researching in geopolitics, social theory, and political science.
Technical Specifications
- Author: FRANCISCO COLOM AND ÁNGEL RIVERO
- Publisher: Anthropos Editorial
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: LITERARY ESSAYS, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY, HISTORY OF IDEAS, SOCIAL THEORY, POLITICAL SCIENCE AND THEORY, GEOPOLITICS
- Collection: CRITICAL / UTOPIAN THOUGHT
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: September 2015
- Number of pages: 208
- Weight: 287 g
Editorial Review
This is a rigorous and well-founded work that offers a clear synthesis of a complex and highly relevant theoretical debate. Its main value lies in the ability to articulate the spatial turn with classic problems of political philosophy, providing the reader with novel analytical tools. It is a recommended read for those looking to go beyond traditional approaches and who wish to understand how the spatial dimension redefines our understanding of the political. Its critical focus and solid academic basis make it a useful reference for specialized study.