Description
Dispossession
Book Summary
In this work, two of the most influential voices in contemporary thought, Judith Butler and Athena Athanasiou, engage in a profound dialogue regarding the concept of dispossession. Far from understanding it as a mere loss, the authors present it as a political and existential condition that defines our relationality with others and the world. Through an analysis that intersects political philosophy, queer theory, and biopolitics, the book examines how dispossession manifests in phenomena such as forced migration, labor precarity, and territorial occupation, while simultaneously revealing its potential for collective action and resistance.
What is it about?
The book is structured as a dialogue in which Butler and Athanasiou unravel the multiple layers of the concept of dispossession. They question the liberal notion of an autonomous, self-owning subject, proposing instead a subjectivity that is constituted precisely through relationships with others and with that which one does not possess. The work links this idea to precarity, vulnerability, and bodily exposure, analyzing how bodies in protest—in the streets, facing eviction or state violence—become performative stages where the capitalist logic of property and individual sovereignty is challenged. Thus, the ethical and political dimensions of being affected by injustice, and from that very condition being incited to action, are explored.
Main themes
- Contemporary political philosophy and critical theory.
- Critique of the liberal subject and capitalism through the notion of dispossession.
- Relationship between subjectivity, precarity, and vulnerability.
- Biopolitics and population control in contexts of migration and occupation.
- Performativity of protest and collective action in the public space.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is intended for students, academics, and readers interested in political philosophy, critical social theory, feminism, and queer studies. It will also be of great value to those seeking conceptual tools to understand contemporary phenomena such as social movements, migration crises, labor precarity, and struggles for housing and territory. It requires a reader with some background in philosophical or political thought, willing to immerse themselves in a dense but deeply revealing theoretical dialogue.
What this book offers
- A radical rereading of the concept of dispossession, moving away from mere loss and positioning it as a condition of possibility for political action.
- A unique dialogue between two key thinkers who articulate philosophy, queer theory, and social criticism.
- Theoretical tools to analyze precarity, protest, and resistance in contemporary capitalism.
- A well-founded critique of possessive individualism and the logics of property that structure the social order.
- A reflection on how shared vulnerability can be the foundation for new forms of community and solidarity.
Technical specifications
- Authors: Athena Athanasiou and Judith Butler
- Publisher: Eterna Cadencia Editora SRL, CUIT
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: Literary essays, Humanities, Philosophy, Social and Political Philosophy
- Collection: Essay
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: December 2017
- Number of pages: 240
- Weight: 330 g
Editorial assessment
Dispossession presents itself as a fundamental work for those seeking to understand the intersections between philosophy, politics, and embodiment in the current context. The dialogue format between Butler and Athanasiou allows for an agile and profound development of complex ideas, making thought that challenges established categories accessible. Its value lies in its ability to offer a solid theoretical framework for interpreting and acting in the face of the structural injustices of our time, making it an essential read for the critical and committed reader.