Name: Relationality: An Emergent Politics of Life Beyond the Human
Price: 22.75 EUR
Availability: InStock
Author: Michal Osterweil
ISBN: 9781350225961

portada Relationality: An Emergent Politics of Life Beyond the Human

Relationality: An Emergent Politics of Life Beyond the Human

Type

Physical Book

Author

Arturo Escobar

Michal Osterweil

Illustrated by

Clive Dilnot

Publisher

Bloomsbury Visual Arts

Language

English

Pages

232

Format

Paperback

Dimensions

23.4 x 15.6 x 2.5 cm

Weight

0.45 kg.

ISBN13

9781350225961

Synopsis "Relationality: An Emergent Politics of Life Beyond the Human"

This important new book argues that at the root of the contemporary crisis of climate, energy, food, inequality, and meaning is a certain core presupposition that structures the ways in which we live, think, act and design: the assumption of dualism, or the fundamental separateness of things. The authors contend that the key to constructing livable worlds lies in the cultivation of ways of knowing and acting based on a profound awareness of the fundamental interdependence of everything that exists - what they refer to as relationality. This shift in paradigm is necessary for healing our bodies, ecosystems, cities, and the planet at large. The book follows two interwoven threads of argumentation: on the one hand, it explains and exemplifies the modes of operation and the dire consequences of non-relational living; on the other, it elucidates the nature of relationality and explores how it is embodied in transformative practices in multiple spheres of life. The authors provide an instructive account of the philosophical, scientific, social, and political sources of relational theory and action, with the aim of illuminating the transition from living within seemingly ineluctable 'toxic loops' of unrelational living (based on ontological dualism), to living within 'relational weaves' which we might co-create with multiple human and nonhuman others.

Arturo Escobar

(Author)

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Arturo Escobar (Manizales, Colombia, November 20, 1952) is an influential anthropologist and critical thinker, known for his work in political ecology, development anthropology, social movements, and decolonial studies. He was a professor at the University of North Carolina until 2018 and is currently linked to the doctoral programs in Environmental Sciences at the University of Valle and in Design and Creation at the University of Caldas, in Colombia.

Escobar is known for his critique of the Western development model and his proposal of alternatives based on autonomy, relationality, and the pluriverse. His most influential book is The Invention of Development (1995), which questions the dominant narratives about progress and proposes an alternative vision centered on cultural and epistemological diversity.

In his most recent work, Relationality: An Emerging Politics of Life Beyond the Human (2024), co-written with Michal Osterweil and Kriti Sharma, Escobar explores the idea of radical relationality, which understands that all entities are the result of a network of interrelations and interdependencies, and proposes a politics based on the interconnection and interdependence of all forms of life.

Throughout his career, Escobar has worked closely with Afro-Colombian communities, environmentalists, and feminists, supporting their struggles for territory, identity, and social justice. His approach seeks to promote transitions to more sustainable and just life models, based on respect for diversity and the interconnection of all living beings.

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Michal Osterweil

(Author)

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Michal Osterweil is an American anthropologist and academic, currently a professor in the Department of Global Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on contemporary social movements, transformative pedagogy, and care and healing practices in the face of various forms of oppression. Osterweil has published numerous articles and book chapters addressing these topics from a critical perspective committed to social justice

In collaboration with Arturo Escobar and Kriti Sharma, Osterweil co-wrote the book Relationality: An Emerging Politics of Life Beyond the Human (2024). This work proposes a new way of understanding and living based on the interconnection and interdependence of all forms of life, challenging dominant power structures and advocating for a politics that recognizes and values the intrinsic relationality of existence. The book emerged from the joint work in the Social Movements Working Group, active in Chapel Hill between 2003 and 2011, where Osterweil and Escobar were central members

In addition to her academic work, Osterweil is committed to popular and community education, working with activists and community members to foster active and critical learning in times of crisis. Her pedagogical approach seeks to empower individuals and collectives to become agents of change, challenging dominant narratives and building alternatives based on justice and equity.

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