New_materialism

New materialisms

New materialisms

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New materialisms are a broad field within contemporary philosophy which seek to engage with the traditions of materialist philosophy as well as develop new articulations between intellectual currents in science and philosophy.[1] New Materialists often draw on Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari's theories of the rhizome, as well as materialist interpretations of Baruch Spinoza's concept of immanence.[2] Many philosophical tendencies are associated with new materialisms, in such a way that the field resists a common definition. Common characteristics of New Materialists include the rejection of representationalism, humanism and the intrinsic distinction of subjectivity and knowledge.[3] New materialisms also share a critical reaction to the theoretical dominance of radical constructivism as well as the normative and analytic political theory.[4] Some theoreticians also emphasize the critique of the deficits and inconsistencies of previous paradigms of materialism, such as phenomenology and marxism.[4][5]

Origin

The terms 'new materialisms'/'neo-materialisms' were independent coined by Manuel DeLanda and Rosi Braidotti, respectively, during the second half of the 1990s. Both sought to name an emerging cultural theory that intended to abandon the privilege of the human dimension of a dualist ontology, alternatively developing an analysis of how these oppositions – nature/culture; mind/matter; human/non-human – were historically and intellectually produced.[6] DeLanda and Braidotti shared their base on the work of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, which attempted to rescue from the marginality of history of philosophy the 'minor tradition' of materialism.[7]

Reception

As of 2024, New Materialism has been well-received in a wide range of disciplines in contemporary academia, from environmental studies to philosophy. Frequently referenced works include Karen Barad's Meeting the Universe Halfway[8] and Jane Bennett's Vibrant Matter[9]. New Materialists emphasise how Cartesian binaries around human and nature have caused many issues in the world by ignoring social complexity.[10] New Materialism been championed for its more integrated approach that considers material and immaterial, biological, and social aspects as interconnected processes rather than distinct entities.[10]

Criticism

Ecologist Andreas Malm has called New Materialism 'idealism of the most useless sort', stating that the approach has little use for climate action or changing our relationship with nature, since it denies distinctions between humanity and nature. Malm argues that this supports the status quo rather than challenging it.[11] He also expresses frustration with the writing style of many New Materialists, claiming that they resist distinctions between things, making their writing impenetrable.[11]

Associated theorists

See also

References

  1. [1]
    Coole & Frost 2010, pp. 4.
  2. [2]
    Gamble, Christopher N.; Hanan, Joshua S.; Nail, Thomas (2019-11-02). "What is New Materialism?". Angelaki. 24 (6): 111–134. doi:10.1080/0969725X.2019.1684704. ISSN 0969-725X. S2CID 214428135.
  3. [3]
    Van Der Tuin 2019, pp. 2.
  4. [4]
    Coole & Frost 2010, pp. 3.
  5. [5]
    Vários 2015, pp. 47.
  6. [6]
    Tuin & Dolphijn 2012, p. 94.
  7. [7]
    Tuin & Dolphijn 2012, p. 96.
  8. [8]
    Barad, Karen (2007). Meeting the universe halfway: quantum physics and the entanglement of matter and meaning. Durham London: Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-3917-5.
  9. [9]
    Bennett, Jane (2010). Vibrant matter: a political ecology of things. A John Hope Franklin Center book. Durham London: Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-4619-7.
  10. [10]
    Höppner, Grit (2017-09-13). "Rethinking Socialization Research through the Lens of New Materialism". Frontiers in Sociology. 2. doi:10.3389/fsoc.2017.00013. ISSN 2297-7775.
  11. [11]
    Malm, Andreas (2020). The progress of this storm: nature and society in a warming world (Paperback first published ed.). London Brooklyn, NY: Verso. ISBN 978-1-78873-940-5.

Bibliography
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