Critique & Praxis is nothing short of a colossal achievement, which will be discussed for years to come

Critique and Praxis can be read as a remarkable intellectual history of critical theory in the broadest sense, which demonstrates highly sophisticated, original understanding its concepts methods, historical, social political contexts, well unquestioned assumptions limitations. Harcourt’s scholarship depth thought are impressive. But & is much more than that. It genuine intervention within, major contribution to, field theory, Harcourt understands constantly renewed demand or exigency, at once theoretical practical. Throughout, insists on necessary unity between models he analyzes constructs, his own, multi-faceted praxis. This itself function feedback, transformative effects that praxis produce one another. means critique—its objects, practices—is never fixed advance set stone. best described dynamic process, always responding to specific situation, an evolving circumstances requiring tailored practices. His relation plethora thinkers draws engages with driven by (Foucauldian) idea bodies conceptual toolboxes, should use (or not), contribute but not criticise polemicise with. The version offers us pragmatic open-ended. Finally, philosophical credo, call arms, autobiography sense Du Bois uses when speaks Dusk Dawn Problem. Struggle series struggles), rooted strong affectivity, forms indignation particular. struggles—as litigator favor those condemned death wrongfully convicted; representing indigent tenants being evicted disabled people who denied benefits; demonstrating, marching, occupying—are carried out name justice, equality, dignity. They aimed punitive society, carry abolitionist agenda: penalty, prison, police, racial discrimination oppression, free-market economy generates precarity inequality, Counterrevolution, digital surveillance, etc. struggles question involve different strategies tactics which, following Foucault, describes “counterconducts.” From point view method, course critical. critique unfolds three levels: descriptive expository), hermeneutical interpretative), prescriptive. book historical situations movements, sometimes length, Chapter 15, where discusses range leftist tactics, including Bernie Sanders’ “political revolution,” Chantal Mouffe’s Left Populism, #BlackLivesMatter, BYP100, recent occupation assembly Butler’s Theory Assembly, Hardt Negri’s organizational principles for revolt, philosophy civil disobedience (to himself contributed), secession, insurrection, etc., all claims, justifiable tactics. Yet, reasons I will turn later, this narrative, expository account counterconducts conception praxis, entirely situation-specific time-sensitive: there was, be, single rule model follow. Tactics need invented, reinvented, adapted, questioned. also interpretation key events. (yet minimalist) concept meaning related illusion. return aspect critique. it prescriptive, yet way displaces neutralizes tradition “What must we do?” raising personal (more) do?”, devotes fourth final part book. He explicit about normative framework drives reconstructed theory. is, “guided values has placed front centre: solidarity, autonomy” (p. 230). list exhaustive. grounded reason rationality science God. context dependent. Depending these lead greater lesser urgency, even give new values. And they served implemented through counterconducts, from revolutions revolts, strikes, demonstrations, occupations, microinsurrections, litigation, so forth. horizon “promise” seems reject no longer realistic, desirable, Revolution, least defined control state power union workers, pitted against bourgeoisie. broadly, rejects very single, universal, permanent solution. Struggles equality justice endless, contextual. invented adapted distribution organization evolve 435); “exceed what strictly necessary” 436). core ambition roots (originally Marxist) change just interpret world. This, turn, requires “a vision 21st century” 21, 48, 49), seeks address failure remain true Marxist imperative after had given up Revolution form retreated pure unable was imagine (and times recognize) other, socially progressive resistance. mentions many insurrectional movements leaderless assemblies last fifty years, rose “on crumbling foundations class struggle” 340). failure, Harcourt, corrected adhering returning truth (in fact, we’ll see, renewal abandon altogether), another tradition, inherited Nietzsche especially Foucault. One challenges faces reconcile uphold two senses traditions, without ever claiming identical subordinating other. At same time, devoted assessment why, where, necessary, ought distance ourselves certain positions tendencies inherent their thought: positivist and/or utopian post-Marxist (especially early Frankfurt School); inability such Foucault Deleuze hear voice postcolonial subaltern 242). simple: while sharing traits social, ethical, problems great philosophers, our current situation constant reappraisal tools priorities face today. On point, succeeds would fail manages construct reviving spirit methods drawn archaeological genealogical why able do claim necessarily situational and, therefore, non-dogmatic; forced shocked into existence often visceral, affective reaction (this affectivity remains implicit deserve developed itself). another, equally demanding challenge. consists showing how, virtue brought together equal importance, transformed; condition means: does underpin action change, make possible. Equally, though, follow action, belated justification explanation. Between two, order foundation. defines neither foundational nor anti-foundational, counter-foundational: “counter” expresses precisely practical, independently any commitment ground legitimize both tactical notion, reveals opposition refusal of, forces places within field, device, lack foundation, therefore ultimate authority, system epistemological apparatus. illusory nature beliefs—most presented truths—that define system. “illusion,” “illusory belief,” “myth” 521) free markets, neutrality law liberal democracies, threat internal enemies. Yet motivates vocabulary knowledge truer, human nature, out. illusory. If retains notion illusion—“despite, perhaps over objection School, others” 203), flirted with, used, illusion, before replacing thought, adequate notions ideology, epistemes, regimes truth—it “because captures … misleading solid belief masquerades truth” 208). Truth authority action; authorizes think act. concerned weary of. In place truth, concern dignity, equality. first sight, reticence some favorite adopt it, illusion might seem confusing. For central Kantian critique, analytic stands—central, discourse limits faculties, cannot know, conditions possibility An Kant claims dialectic reason, mere error, method guard us. Rather, result deeply seated “transcendental” tendency, attributes cognitive value Idea Reason, freedom, immortality soul, God, legitimate realm only moral. illusions mind generated transcendentally, alone. constructions. either, ideological products real relations, material production. were case, recognition latter suffice dispel former: nothing surface deeper, (for material) reality. Critique, according close ideology Marxist, understood Beauvoir who, unveiled “the patriarchy male superiority” “decoupling gender sex” 189). move opened space “reinforced binary essentialism later critiqued queer theory” By lifting veil illusions, did reveal essential debate all. She unveil appearance hidden essence “man” “woman,” interests. she relations struggles, ways establishing identities hierarchies. respect, promotes strategic. already constituted forces. As such, limited. if help play minimize seek believe total eradication, building up, devoid dynamics illusions. For—as example reveals—it impossible say how evolve, kind lines introduce, reinforce. brings interpretation, aims provide “better interpretation” situation. Better perspective? rather construction problematization? Again, term minimalist sense. advocating hermeneutics, despite veiling unveiling: uncover founding event truth), particular, multi-layered, historically contingent assemblage relations. hold promise end (of struggles) either. To “interpret better” mean better recognize salvation. enterprise, uncovering buried reluctant moral one, “deciding rothers” 221). anything, ethical task defining one’s own conduct based effort problematize Let me brief review pointing see difficulties tensions running through, occasionally appearing in, revolve around ideas interpretation. methodological concerns violence, Part II. situates discussion line that, runs Sade Hegel, Nietzsche, Bataille, Pasolini, violence dominate, master, prevail, punish. strikes instance naturalization phenomenon, namely entire rightly resist sees source attribute darker side psyche,” unsavoury dimension power, desire recognition, mastery” speak “productivity violence” 292), presuppose anthropology, possibly metapsychology, life, foundations, assumptions, consequences clarify justify. addition, difficult compatible anti-naturalist stance adopted throughout There argues, thing inflict harm impose force, productivity violence; fact finds unbearable ignore. venture relapse?) something resembling anthropology relatively could easily dismissed digression. warns sensitive reader wish skip chapters straight III instead. problem unavoidable (he returns 16). justify types actions, needs violence. wants simply rest counterviolences, “to distinguish illegitimate 295). Why begin talk “human condition” 295), existence” experience” 311), self-development” 315), violence? Why, having liberal, utilitarian feel need, indeed necessity fall back looks like Hegel’s Phenomenology, Kojève’s it? mobilized here, dignity respect associates illusion? How appealing perpetuated? Violence, “legitimate” extent compassion, struggle whether revolution, uprisings, transformation general, “unavoidably violent” 432). affects ownership, rights, possession, education status. legitimacy comes rooted. Whilst work Honneth traced run Rousseau, Fichte, Hegel. sure, laissez faire liberalism utility self-interest, left, love, makes them less illusory? Inasmuch appeal subjected critique? unavoidable. intertwined (endless) providing interpretation.” ceased remind us, neutral, benevolent operation: grasping, taking hold, imposing, dominate assert power. Violence 303), object primordial “creativity” recognizes embraces, knowledge, “invention” 304), degree level, though explicitly, violent every counterinterpretation. violent, aims, events, forge grid intelligibility apply Nietzschean, explicitly Foucauldian, ordinarily expression power.1 Are achieve because them, increase think)? Is power? outcome Russian Chinese revolution equitable world, redistribution relations? egalitarian approach distributed equitably exceed 433). necessity, defined, group another? justice—which understand group’s act interest—ever raised perspective interpretative lens, “eternal” compassion? provided genealogy, revealing origin emergence, complex history, world relied? My second scope breadth operates extremely open generous aspects others leaves traditions embrace, develop, transform multifaceted (from Habermas), Hegel Kojève Jaeggi), Marx School Fraser, Žižek, Badiou, Hardt, Negri), (Foucault again), associated occupation, disobedience, Given pragmatic, non-dogmatic existing virtually resistance, legitimacy, depending circumstances. times, text, unaddressed. all, methodologically substantially? take example. occasionally, obliquely, found Guattari. tell strand systematically advocates I. task, Guattari “signify interpret,” “experiment, machine, assemble,” find create flight deterritorialization.2 assemblages, desiring machines, writing other (we don’t fight capitalism, fascism, legalism recognizing differently, else). installation eat away universal becoming revolutionary, always, necessarily, minoritarian. maximization think, cultivation joyful encounters, multitude class, combination singularities. privileges singular, difference, intensity, particular), identity (albeit self-differentiated), actuality. end, converges governed (rather attempt less, differently), applaud) radical anarchism. values, basis onto-ethics qualitatively from, mentioned, (it seems) attached. takes (strongly present addressed) ends challenge New Right Interpretations interpretations” 527). Leaving aside most effective useful, itself, wonder really need. myth calls counter Right. Following Spinoza, superstition not, governs effectively, Left, defeat nationalist, supremacist, xenophobic right, weave narrative heart just, primarily) people, develop oriented toward hatred, exclusion, fear, inclusion, hope—however may be. words, far go context, irreducible politics imagination sensibility are. level lynching mob, leads greatest possible accord harmony discord or, worse still, war?