Edinburgh University Press Butler and Ethics (Critical Connections)

Judith Butler is best known for Gender Trouble (1990), the book that introduced the idea of gender performativity. However, with the publication of Giving an Account of Oneself in 2005, it appeared as if her work had taken a different turn, away from considerations of sex, gender, sexuality and politics and towards ethics. This collection of 10 essays offers the first sustained evaluation of that alleged ethical turn. Bringing together a group of internationally renowned theorists, the volume will explore issues such as whether there has been an 'ethical turn' in Butler's work or whether, in fact, the increasing emphasis on ethics is merely the culmination of ideas inherent in her earlier work: how ethics relates to politics and how both connect to her increasing concern with violence, war and conflict. Butler and Ethics will break new ground in scholarship on Butler and will also advance on going debates about materiality and the body, biopolitics, affect theory, precariousness and subjectification. It explores the relation between politics and ethics in Butler's writings. It explores Butler's understanding of the body in relation to both politics and ethics, feminist and non feminist. It looks at work from the full span of Butler's career right up to her most recent book, Frames of War. From the Back Cover 'There is no better guide to Judith Butler's work to date, and to the debate about the ethical turn, than this carefully structured volume.' Lloyd and her contributors tackle all the definitional questions, including the concept of ethics itself, as well as key terms, including grief, liveability, vulnerability and violence.' Terrell Carver, Professor of Political Theory, University of Bristol Explores the relation between Judith Butler's work and ethics Judith Butler is best known for Gender Trouble, the book that introduced the idea of gender performativity. With the publication of Giving an Account of Oneself in 2005 it appeared as if her work had taken a different turn, away from considerations of sex, gender, sexuality and politics, and towards ethics. This collection of eight essays offers the first sustained evaluation of that alleged 'turn'. Bringing together a group of internationally renowned theorists, the volume explores questions such as whether there has, in fact, been an 'ethical turn' in Butler's work or whether her increasing emphasis on ethics is merely the culmination of ideas inherent in her earlier writings. Precisely what kind of debt does Butler owe Levinas? What role does affect play in her most recent writings? How do ethics, politics and affect connect to her increasing concern with violence, war and conflict? What relation does Butler envisage between grievability and sensate democracy? How do her discussions of ethico-politics relate to Butler's earlier understanding of politics as subversion? What is the nature of the relation between ethics and politics in her recent thinking? This collection will break new ground in scholarship on Butler and puts her work directly in dialogue with a number of current philosophical debates. Moya Lloyd is Professor of Political Theory at Loughborough University. Cover image: Two Standing II, by Jo Ganter, 2011 (c) courtesy of the artist Cover design: [EUP logo] www.euppublishing.com ISBN [PPC] 978-0-7486-7884-6 [Pb] 978-0-7486-7885-3 Barcode About the Author Moya Lloyd is Professor of Political Theory at Loughborough University.