Amery, Fran. "Allowing the Other to Speak: The Relevance of Postmodernism to
Political Analysis." Reinvention: An International Journal of Undergraduate
Research, vol. 1, no. 2, 2008, warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/iatl/
reinvention/archive/volume1issue2/amery/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2020. Throughout
his essay, Amery explains how postmodernism has impacted politics by
problematizing the epistemological assumptions behind much of social
science. For example, Amery states that postmodernism has "questioned the
notions of progress and emancipation, attacked the philosophical position
of traditional political science, denied the possibility of objective
research and emphasised the socially-constructed nature of reality"
(Amery). This implies that postmodernism has been key to facilitate
widespread political change or at least to raise awareness about the
problematic ways in which we view certain issues. In fact, Amery talks
about how postmodernism has revealed the ways in which social structures
oppress and marginalize minorities. Finally, he talks about how
postmodernism rejects the idea that there is a solid, universal foundation
on which to ground political theory and action.
This source will help me with my Capstone project because it discusses the
inextricable link between postmodernism and politics. It explains how
postmodernism has been key to challenge the assumptions of traditional
political theories and to emancipate minorities. Additionally, it
highlights postmodernism's role in challenging the idea of a universal mode
of conducting politics.
Antonio, Robert, and Douglas Kellner. "Modernity, Modern Social Theory, and the
Postmodern Critique." UCLA Library, UCLA, pages.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/
kellner/essays/modsoctheory80s.pdf. Accessed 11 Feb. 2020. In Antonio and
Kellner's paper, they explain how postmodernism has influenced politics by
critiquing the social theories and meta-narratives that underlie
contemporary politics. Instead of relying on totalizing theories about
culture and society, postmodernists attempt to challenge realness and
concreteness, claiming that they are unproductive and legitimize
oppression. Although many people have contested the usefulness of the
postmodernist critique, Antonio and Kellner contend that postmodernism is
actually conducive to social change and progression. For example,
postmodernism has facilitated the rise of Marxism and other dominant social
theories by advocating for an awakening from false consciousness and
escaping the oppression of the state and proletariat. Additionally,
postmodernists have challenged politics by questioning the foundational
claim that humans are autonomous; instead, postmodernists advocate that the
state has inextricable power over our lives, and that our lives are void of
any real meaning.
Not only will this paper help me understand how my topic connects to our
work in AP Lit this past year (since it discusses the issue of autonomy),
but it will also help me understand how postmodernism has challenged the
epistemology behind politics. Additionally, it will help me understand why
people believe that postmodernism is unproductive and useless.
Foucault, Michel. The Foucault Effect: Studies in Governmentality. Edited by
Graham Burchell et al., Chicago, U of Chicago P, 2011. In this book,
Foucault discusses his theories on politics and postmodernism. He explains
how he "sees Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations as affecting not only a
transformation in political and economic thinking but also a transformation
in the relationship between knowledge and government," revealing that
Foucault recognizes Adam Smith's theories as transformational to politics.
Additionally, he describes his attempts to challenge common political
conceptions of autonomy. Finally, he problematizes liberalism by revealing
its roots in unattainable realism.
This book will help me with my project because it explains the views of
Michel Foucault, a renowned postmodernist, and their relation to politics.
Though I am still struggling to fully understand the arguments made by this
book, I know it discusses Foucault's issues with liberalism and other
political and economic theories. This further confirms my hypothesis that
postmodernism influences politics by challenging the epistemology behind
it.
Makarychev, Andrey, and Alexandra Yatsyk. "Biopolitics and National Identities:
Between Liberalism and Totalization." The Journal of Nationalism and
Ethnicity, vol. 45, no. 1, 3 Feb. 2017. Taylor and Francis Online,
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00905992.2016.1225705. Accessed 11
Feb. 2020. In "Biopolitics and National Identities: Between Liberalism and
Totalization," Makarychev and Yatsky discuss the implications of
biopolitics on national identity. They begin by defining biopolitics as the
control that the state exerts over a population by implementing a set of
norms that must be followed (in other words, the state can implement norms
that shape our culture and how we conduct politics as a whole). For
example, the state exercises biopolitical control over our lives through
incentivizing us to stop at stop signs; even if it's late at night and no
one is around, we are still incentivized to stop at stop signs because of
the fear the state has instilled of a punishment that will occur if we
don't. By the same token, the state can exercise biopolitical control to
regulate our views on identity and homogeneity, especially in the absence
of a viable civil society. According to Makarychev and Yatsky, Hitler's
Germany and Stalin's USSR are prime examples of the implications of
biopolitics on national identity; through normalizing the desire for a
homogenous race, and through instilling fear in those who refused to
conform to this desire, Hitler and Stalin were able to perform mass
genocides. Another way biopolitics can help us understand politics is
through explaining the behavior of many post-Soviet countries, where
biopolitics has been used to implement strong degrees of loyalty and
solidarity.
This source will help me with my Capstone project because it deals with
the implications of biopolitics, a critical postmodernist theory, on
politics. According to the source, biopolitics has been essential to our
understanding of political actions and the power of the state.
Additionally, biopolitics has highlighted both our adherence to norms
delegated by the state and the state's power to shape behavior and
implement comprehensive, sweeping reforms. I suspect that biopolitics,
along with other postmodernist theories, have shaped politics by revealing
the state's desire for homogeneity and order.
Wolny, Ryszard W. "Hyperreality and Simulacrum: Jean Baudrillard and European
Postmodernism." European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, vol. 3, no.
3, 2017, journals.euser.org/files/articles/ejis_may_aug_17/Ryszard.pdf.
Accessed 11 Feb. 2020. This source discussed Baudrillard's theories of
hyperrealities, the idea that language has diluted real meaning, turning
the world into a system of signs and signifiers. A classic example of this
deals with how we view a white t-shirt from Calvin Klein vs. how we view a
white t-shirt from Walmart; though in reality, these T-shirts are
fundamentally the same, because the brands have different social
significance, we view them differently. This is a quintessential example of
Baudrillard's theories of hyperrealities because it shows how brands and
imagery have obscured the real value and meaning of objects. The source
also discussed how meaning has become so diluted that these signs and
signifiers are no longer proliferated to refer to reality, but rather, for
their own circular purpose. In order to relate this to politics, the source
explains how Baudrillard argues that the economy no longer operates based
upon control over means of production, but rather through using signs to
encourage consumerism. Additionally, the source explains how Baudrillard's
theories of hyperrealities are reflective of a more comprehensive
postmodern attempt at challenging meaning and reality. It is essentially a
criticism of the assumption that culture, politics, society, and identity
are all ontological.
This source will help me with my project by explaining how postmodernists
challenge conceptions of reality and concreteness in politics. It explains
how Baudrillard, a famous postmodernist, has influenced politics by
awakening us to the hyperreal worlds we live in. I wonder if politicians
have acknowledged the signs and signifiers proliferated by language and
hyperrealities or have ever attempted to dismantle them.
Political Analysis." Reinvention: An International Journal of Undergraduate
Research, vol. 1, no. 2, 2008, warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/iatl/
reinvention/archive/volume1issue2/amery/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2020. Throughout
his essay, Amery explains how postmodernism has impacted politics by
problematizing the epistemological assumptions behind much of social
science. For example, Amery states that postmodernism has "questioned the
notions of progress and emancipation, attacked the philosophical position
of traditional political science, denied the possibility of objective
research and emphasised the socially-constructed nature of reality"
(Amery). This implies that postmodernism has been key to facilitate
widespread political change or at least to raise awareness about the
problematic ways in which we view certain issues. In fact, Amery talks
about how postmodernism has revealed the ways in which social structures
oppress and marginalize minorities. Finally, he talks about how
postmodernism rejects the idea that there is a solid, universal foundation
on which to ground political theory and action.
This source will help me with my Capstone project because it discusses the
inextricable link between postmodernism and politics. It explains how
postmodernism has been key to challenge the assumptions of traditional
political theories and to emancipate minorities. Additionally, it
highlights postmodernism's role in challenging the idea of a universal mode
of conducting politics.
Antonio, Robert, and Douglas Kellner. "Modernity, Modern Social Theory, and the
Postmodern Critique." UCLA Library, UCLA, pages.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/
kellner/essays/modsoctheory80s.pdf. Accessed 11 Feb. 2020. In Antonio and
Kellner's paper, they explain how postmodernism has influenced politics by
critiquing the social theories and meta-narratives that underlie
contemporary politics. Instead of relying on totalizing theories about
culture and society, postmodernists attempt to challenge realness and
concreteness, claiming that they are unproductive and legitimize
oppression. Although many people have contested the usefulness of the
postmodernist critique, Antonio and Kellner contend that postmodernism is
actually conducive to social change and progression. For example,
postmodernism has facilitated the rise of Marxism and other dominant social
theories by advocating for an awakening from false consciousness and
escaping the oppression of the state and proletariat. Additionally,
postmodernists have challenged politics by questioning the foundational
claim that humans are autonomous; instead, postmodernists advocate that the
state has inextricable power over our lives, and that our lives are void of
any real meaning.
Not only will this paper help me understand how my topic connects to our
work in AP Lit this past year (since it discusses the issue of autonomy),
but it will also help me understand how postmodernism has challenged the
epistemology behind politics. Additionally, it will help me understand why
people believe that postmodernism is unproductive and useless.
Foucault, Michel. The Foucault Effect: Studies in Governmentality. Edited by
Graham Burchell et al., Chicago, U of Chicago P, 2011. In this book,
Foucault discusses his theories on politics and postmodernism. He explains
how he "sees Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations as affecting not only a
transformation in political and economic thinking but also a transformation
in the relationship between knowledge and government," revealing that
Foucault recognizes Adam Smith's theories as transformational to politics.
Additionally, he describes his attempts to challenge common political
conceptions of autonomy. Finally, he problematizes liberalism by revealing
its roots in unattainable realism.
This book will help me with my project because it explains the views of
Michel Foucault, a renowned postmodernist, and their relation to politics.
Though I am still struggling to fully understand the arguments made by this
book, I know it discusses Foucault's issues with liberalism and other
political and economic theories. This further confirms my hypothesis that
postmodernism influences politics by challenging the epistemology behind
it.
Makarychev, Andrey, and Alexandra Yatsyk. "Biopolitics and National Identities:
Between Liberalism and Totalization." The Journal of Nationalism and
Ethnicity, vol. 45, no. 1, 3 Feb. 2017. Taylor and Francis Online,
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00905992.2016.1225705. Accessed 11
Feb. 2020. In "Biopolitics and National Identities: Between Liberalism and
Totalization," Makarychev and Yatsky discuss the implications of
biopolitics on national identity. They begin by defining biopolitics as the
control that the state exerts over a population by implementing a set of
norms that must be followed (in other words, the state can implement norms
that shape our culture and how we conduct politics as a whole). For
example, the state exercises biopolitical control over our lives through
incentivizing us to stop at stop signs; even if it's late at night and no
one is around, we are still incentivized to stop at stop signs because of
the fear the state has instilled of a punishment that will occur if we
don't. By the same token, the state can exercise biopolitical control to
regulate our views on identity and homogeneity, especially in the absence
of a viable civil society. According to Makarychev and Yatsky, Hitler's
Germany and Stalin's USSR are prime examples of the implications of
biopolitics on national identity; through normalizing the desire for a
homogenous race, and through instilling fear in those who refused to
conform to this desire, Hitler and Stalin were able to perform mass
genocides. Another way biopolitics can help us understand politics is
through explaining the behavior of many post-Soviet countries, where
biopolitics has been used to implement strong degrees of loyalty and
solidarity.
This source will help me with my Capstone project because it deals with
the implications of biopolitics, a critical postmodernist theory, on
politics. According to the source, biopolitics has been essential to our
understanding of political actions and the power of the state.
Additionally, biopolitics has highlighted both our adherence to norms
delegated by the state and the state's power to shape behavior and
implement comprehensive, sweeping reforms. I suspect that biopolitics,
along with other postmodernist theories, have shaped politics by revealing
the state's desire for homogeneity and order.
Wolny, Ryszard W. "Hyperreality and Simulacrum: Jean Baudrillard and European
Postmodernism." European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, vol. 3, no.
3, 2017, journals.euser.org/files/articles/ejis_may_aug_17/Ryszard.pdf.
Accessed 11 Feb. 2020. This source discussed Baudrillard's theories of
hyperrealities, the idea that language has diluted real meaning, turning
the world into a system of signs and signifiers. A classic example of this
deals with how we view a white t-shirt from Calvin Klein vs. how we view a
white t-shirt from Walmart; though in reality, these T-shirts are
fundamentally the same, because the brands have different social
significance, we view them differently. This is a quintessential example of
Baudrillard's theories of hyperrealities because it shows how brands and
imagery have obscured the real value and meaning of objects. The source
also discussed how meaning has become so diluted that these signs and
signifiers are no longer proliferated to refer to reality, but rather, for
their own circular purpose. In order to relate this to politics, the source
explains how Baudrillard argues that the economy no longer operates based
upon control over means of production, but rather through using signs to
encourage consumerism. Additionally, the source explains how Baudrillard's
theories of hyperrealities are reflective of a more comprehensive
postmodern attempt at challenging meaning and reality. It is essentially a
criticism of the assumption that culture, politics, society, and identity
are all ontological.
This source will help me with my project by explaining how postmodernists
challenge conceptions of reality and concreteness in politics. It explains
how Baudrillard, a famous postmodernist, has influenced politics by
awakening us to the hyperreal worlds we live in. I wonder if politicians
have acknowledged the signs and signifiers proliferated by language and
hyperrealities or have ever attempted to dismantle them.