Thinking through Political Subjectivity
In: African DiasporaSearch for other papers by Kristine Krause in
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Abstract
In the introduction to this special volume the editors focus on the analytical value of “political subjectivities” in emergent social fields that are characterized by multiple diasporic overlaps. They emphasize the central role played by various forms of governance in producing, confirming and contesting politics of transnational incorporation and diasporic participation and consider how these political projects often target members of historically differently situated groups. In particular, they draw attention to moments of exclusion and non-incorporation. The analytical concept of political subjectivity helps to understand how people relate to governance and authorities. It denotes how a single person or a group of actors is brought into a position to stake claims, to have a voice, and to be recognizable by authorities. At the same time the term points to the political and power-ridden dimension within politics of identity and belonging, encompassing the imaginary as well as the judicial-political dimension of claims to belonging and citizenship.
Résumé
Dans l’introduction de ce volume spécial, les éditeurs se concentrent sur la valeur analytique des «subjectivités politiques» qui existent dans les champs sociaux émergeants, dont la caractéristique est de connaître de multiples chevauchements diasporiques. Ils insistent sur le rôle central joué par les formes variées de gouvernances qui s’y forment, et par les politiques qui confirment et contestent l’incorporation transnationale et la participation diasporique, mais ils examinent aussi la façon dont ces projets politiques visent souvent les membres de groupes qui, historiquement, sont situés différemment. Ils attirent particulièrement l’attention sur des cas d’exclusion et de non-incorporation. Le concept analytique de subjectivité politique aide à comprendre les relations qu’entretiennent les gens avec l’administration et les autorités. Cela montre comment une personne isolée ou un groupe d’acteurs est mis dans la position de se risquer à faire des revendications, pour avoir une voix, et pour être reconnaissable par les autorités. En même temps, le terme se réfère à la dimension politique et de pouvoir qu’il y a dans les politiques d’identité et d’appartenance, comprenant l’imaginaire autant que la dimension politico-judiciaire des revendications d’appartenance et de citoyenneté.
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8)
According to Isin and Turner (2007), it was Baruch Spinoza who introduced the idea that citizen means to ‘enjoy advantages’ and the term subject refers to obeying ‘ordinances and laws’ (Spinoza 1958: 285, quoted in Isin and Turner 2007: 6). In this understanding a person who is a citizen is at the same time a subject. See also the title of Mahmood Mamdani’s book Citizen and Subject (1996).
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9)
See Blackman et al. (2008) and Reckwitz (2008) for comprehensive overviews of the different strands of theorization.
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Thinking through Political Subjectivity
In: African DiasporaSearch for other papers by Kristine Krause in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Katharina Schramm in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
In the introduction to this special volume the editors focus on the analytical value of “political subjectivities” in emergent social fields that are characterized by multiple diasporic overlaps. They emphasize the central role played by various forms of governance in producing, confirming and contesting politics of transnational incorporation and diasporic participation and consider how these political projects often target members of historically differently situated groups. In particular, they draw attention to moments of exclusion and non-incorporation. The analytical concept of political subjectivity helps to understand how people relate to governance and authorities. It denotes how a single person or a group of actors is brought into a position to stake claims, to have a voice, and to be recognizable by authorities. At the same time the term points to the political and power-ridden dimension within politics of identity and belonging, encompassing the imaginary as well as the judicial-political dimension of claims to belonging and citizenship.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 2152 | 392 | 67 |
| Full Text Views | 689 | 54 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 366 | 81 | 3 |