Critical Spirits: New Animism As Historical Materialism
نویسندگان
چکیده
This essay reads the so-called 'new animism' alongside historical materialism of Benjamin, Horkheimer and Adorno. The aim is to draw out political dimensions former ecological latter. New animism shares with a critique modernity alienation produced by separation human sphere culture from nonhuman field nature. Both theories are interested in as exemplary refusals this both seek mimetic, non-objectifying, relation world. operates correct materialism's Eurocentric tendency think such 'naturecultures' premodern thus superceded, showing what can still be learnt example specific indigenous peoples their animistic engagement more than But dialectical approach history also helps guard against romanticisation dehistoricised models relations 'nature'. Capitalist not simply extirpation animism, turning souls into things, but itself modified form things magical commodities. Once we understand mythic nature capitalism, critical task becomes reanimate world counter-animate it. new utopian investment spirited, world, latter seeks promote I call spiritedness, an ironised, melancholic identification our fellow beings, nonhuman, subject thus, Adorno's phrasing, 'damaged life'. In final part my essay, consider way which art channel spirit through exploration Jim Jarmusch's 1995 film Dead Man, its counter-animation cinematic tradition Western. at once deanimating, ecocidal genocidal consequences Western expansion attempt respiritualise gaze creaturely damaged life.
منابع مشابه
Dialectical & Historical Materialism: the Science of Revolution
The tool of analysis is for us a further development of the historical materialist method, the dialectical method. We will not even waste our time debating the values of Marxism with those who are essentially hung up on white people – hung up to the point of ideological blindness. We understand the process of revolution, and fundamental to this understanding is this fact: Marxism is developed t...
متن کاملHaunted Headwaters: Ecotourism, Animism, and the Blurry Line Between Science and Spirits
The highlanders of Ratanakiri, Cambodia believe that certain mountains cannot be hunted or logged because they are the abode of powerful spirits. They are convinced that mountain spirits will exact revenge on them in the form of serious injury or illness if they do not follow the animist behavioral etiquette regarding these sacred peaks. It may seem easy to dismiss these convictions as ancient ...
متن کاملFoucault and Marxism: rewriting the theory of historical materialism
This article explores the relationship of Foucault to Marxism. Although he was often critical of Marxism, Foucault’s own approach bears striking parallels to Marxism, as a form of method, as an account of history, and as an analysis of social structure. Like Marxism, Foucault represents social practices as transitory and all knowledge and intellectual formations as linked to social relations an...
متن کاملFREEDOM RISINGs A RECONSTRUCTION OF HISTORICAL MATERIALISM by Debra
Acknowledsements Introduction Chapter 1: History and the Value of Material Progress 1.
متن کاملذخیره در منابع من
با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید
ژورنال
عنوان ژورنال: new formations
سال: 2021
ISSN: ['0950-2378', '1741-0789']
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3898/newf:104-105.03.2021