Routledge - The Politics of Vulnerability - Academic Book

Explore the complex landscape of vulnerability through this academic work from Routledge. The book examines how vulnerability functions as both a fleeting concept and a successful academic idea. It provides a deep look into the different ways this concept is applied across different regions and political contexts. In the United States, the text addresses discussions regarding bodies that are considered torturable, mutilatable, or killable, particularly in the wake of September 11 and subsequent bellicosity. The analysis shifts to Europe, where vulnerability is viewed through the lens of precarity and exclusion. Here, the term relates to lives that are seen as dispensable, evictable, or deportable, as individuals are left to the forces of the market. While the theme of vulnerability has seen notable success in academic circles, this book also addresses the reluctance that often accompanies the topic. It is an essential read for those studying political science, philosophy, and the social sciences who want to understand the shifting contours of human vulnerability in modern political thought.