Negativity and Revolution: Adorno and Political Activism [Paperback]

John Holloway (Author), Fernando Matamoros (Author), Sergio Tischler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 20, 2008 | ISBN-10: 0745328369 | ISBN-13: 978-0745328362

How can activists combat the political paralysis that characterises the anti-dialectical Marxism of Foucault, Derrida and Deleuze, without reverting to a dogmatic orthodoxy? This book explores solutions in the 'negative dialectics' of Theodor Adorno.The poststructuralist shift from dialectics to 'difference' has been so popular that it becomes difficult to create meaningful revolutionary responses to neoliberalism. The contributors to this volume come from within the anti-capitalist movement, and close to the concerns expressed in Negri and Hardt's Empire and Multitude. However, they argue forcefully and persuasively for a return to dialectics so a real-world, radical challenge to the current order can be constructed.This is a passionate call to arms for the anti-capitalist movement. It should be read by all engaged activists and students of political and critical theory.

Editorial Reviews

Review

As someone who studied with Theodor W. Adorno forty years ago it is exciting to see how younger generations of scholars continue to work with Adorno's methods and keep his insights alive. -- Prof. Detlev Claussen, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University of Hannover This book could well have been titled 'Reading Adorno Politically.' Using Adorno's work as touchstone and emphasizing the originality of his negative dialectics, these essays engage some of the most important debates among contemporary political theorists and activists. -- Michael Hardt, co-author of Empire and Multitude A fine collection that demonstrates the relevance of [Adorno's] negative dialectics to contemporary movements of resistance to capitalist globalization. -- Alex Callinicos, Professor of European Studies, King's College London

About the Author

John Holloway, Fernando Matamoros and Sergio Tischler are all professors in the Instituto de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades of the Benemérita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla in Mexico. John Holloway is the author of Change the World Without Taking Power (Pluto Press, new edition 2005).Fernando Matamoros is the author of La Pensée Coloniale, Découverte, Conquête et Guerre des Dieux au Mexique (2007) and co-author (with Sylvie Bosserelle and Etienne Dehau) of Mexique, vision de l''empire des dieux (2005)Sergio Tischler is the co-editor (with Werner Bonefeld) of What is to be Done? Leninism, Anti-Leninist Marxism and the Question of Revolution Today (2002)

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Pluto Press (November 20, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0745328369
• ISBN-13: 978-0745328362
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,241,101 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars long needed, April 23, 2009

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This review is from: Negativity and Revolution: Adorno and Political Activism (Paperback)

Finally, a book to lend activism an orientation sensitive to Adorno's perspective. Activism is the unquestioned enterprise in contemporary society. This naivete, however, is the basis for many of the problems activists fight against. With this book, one can engage in activism without risking a dangerous naivete. The extremely lucid writing in this volume actually would make it a great entrance into Adorno's thought, especially its relation to current trends in critical theory, which engages with serious objections. This book is the long awaited text to pass around to friends, especially those in activist circles ... an ideal accompaniment would be Raymond Geuss' Philosophy and Real Politics. No matter how familiar you are with Adorno's works, this text has a great deal to offer.