Badiou, Zizek, And Political Transformations: The Cadence Of Change (studies In Phenomenology And Existential Philosophy)

Alain Badiou and Slavoj Žižek together have emerged as two of Europe’s most significant living philosophers. In a shared spirit of resistance to global capitalism, both are committed to bringing philosophical reflection to bear upon present-day political circumstances. These thinkers are especially interested in asking what consequences the supposed twentieth-century demise of communism entails for leftist political theory in the early twenty-first century. __Badiou, Žižek, and Political Transformations__ examines Badiouian and Žižekian depictions of change, particularly as deployed at the intersection of philosophy and politics. The book details the origins of Badiou’s concept of the event and Žižek’s concept of the act as related theoretical visions of revolutionary happenings, delineating a number of difficulties arising from these similar concepts. Johnston finds that Badiou and Žižek tend to favor models of transformation that risk discouraging in advance precisely the efforts at changing the world of today that these uncompromising leftists so ardently desire. __Badiou, Žižek, and Political Transformations__ will surely join Johnston’s __Žižek’s Ontology__ as an instant classic in its field. Contents......Page 12 Preface......Page 14 Acknowledgments......Page 26 Introduction: The Badiouian-Zizekian Politburo—Political Interventions in the Shadow of Lacan......Page 28 Part I: Alain Badiou: From Event to Act......Page 36 1 The Quick and the Dead: Badiou and the Split Speeds of Transformation......Page 38 2 One Must Have Confidence That the Other Does Not Exist: Select Preconditions for Events and Acts in Contemporary Circumstances......Page 70 Part II: Slavoj Zizek: From Act to Event......Page 116 3 The Cynic's Fetish: Zizek and the Dynamics of Belief......Page 118 4 From the Spectacular Act to the Vanishing Act: The Politics of Lacanian Theory......Page 160 Appendix A: "Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom!"......Page 194 Appendix B: Slavoj Zizek, "An Answer to Two Questions"......Page 207 Notes......Page 264 Works Cited......Page 286 Index......Page 302 Introduction: The Badiouian-Žižekian Politburo : Political Interventions In The Shadow Of Lacan -- Alain Badiou : From Event To Act -- The Quick And The Dead : Badiou And The Split Speeds Of Transformation -- One Must Have Confidence That The Other Does Not Exist : Select Preconditions For Events And Acts In Contemporary Circumstances -- Slavoj Žižek : From Act To Event -- The Cynic's Fetish : Žižek And The Dynamics Of Belief -- From The Spectacular Act To The Vanishing Act : The Politics Of Lacanian Theory -- Appendix A: Let A Thousand Flowers Bloom! : Some Brief Remarks On And Responses To Zizek's Badiou: Notes From An Ongoing Debate -- Appendix B: Slavoj Žižek, An Answer To Two Questions. Adrian Johnston. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Alain Badiou and Slavoj Zizek together have emerged as two of Europe's most significant living philosophers. This book examines Badiouian and Zizekian depictions of change, particularly as deployed at the intersection of philosophy and politics.