Negative Ecstasies: Georges Bataille and the Study of Religion (Perspectives in Continental Philosophy)

Despite Georges Bataille's acknowledged influence on major poststructuralist thinkers—including Foucault, Derrida, Kristeva, Lacan, Baudrillard, and Barthes—and his prominence in literary, cultural, and social theory, rarely has he been taken up by scholars of religion, even as issues of the sacred were central to his thinking. Bringing together established scholars and emerging voices, Negative Ecstasies engages Bataille from the perspective of religious studies and theology, forging links with feminist and queer theory, economics, secularism, psychoanalysis, fat studies, and ethics. As these essays demonstrate, Bataille's work bears significance to contemporary questions in the academy and vital issues in the world. We continue to ignore him at our peril. Frontmatter Acknowledgments (page xi) Introduction: Sacred with a Vengence (Jeremy Biles and Kent L. Brintnall, page 1) Movements of Luxurious Exuberance: Georges Bataille and Fat Politics (Lynne Gerber, page 19) Sovereignty and Cruelty: Self-Affirmation, Self-Dissolution, and the Bataillean Subject (Stephen S. Bush, page 38) Erotic Ruination: Embracing the "Savage Spirituality" of Barebacking (Kent L. Brintnall, page 51) Desire, Blood, and Power: Georges Bataille and the Study of Hindu Tantra in Northeastern India (Hugh B. Urban, page 68) The Religion of Football: Sacrifice, Festival, and Sovereignty at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa (David Chidester, page 81) Violent Silence: Noise and Bataille's "Method of Meditation" (Paul Hegarty, page 95) Georges Bataille and the Religion of Capitalism (Jean-Joseph Goux, page 106) Sacrifice as Ethics: The Strange Religiosity of Neoliberalism (Shannon Winnubst, page 123) Bataille's Contestation of Interpretive Anthropology and the Sociology of Religion (Alphonso Lingis, page 138) The Traumatic Secret: Bataille and the Comparative Erotics of Mystical Literature (Jeffrey J. Kripal, page 153) Foucault's Sacred Sociology (Mark D. Jordan, page 169) Bataille and Kristeva on Religion (Zeynep Direk, page 182) Bataille, Teilhard de Chardin, and the Death of God (Allan Stoekl, page 202) Does the Acéphale Dream of Headless Sheep? (Jeremy Biles, page 217) Afterword (Amy Hollywood, page 239) Notes (page 245) Works Cited (page 285) List of Contributors (page 303) Index (page 307) Introduction : Sacred With A Vengeance / Jeremy Biles And Kent L. Brintnall -- Movements Of Luxurious Exuberance : Georges Bataille And Fat Politics / Lynne Gerber -- Sovereignty And Cruelty : Self-affirmation, Self-dissolution, And The Bataillean Subject / Stephen S. Bush -- Erotic Ruination : Embracing The Savage Spirituality Of Barebacking / Kent L. Brintnall -- Desire, Blood, And Power : Georges Bataille And The Study Of Hindu Tantra In Northeastern India / Hugh B. Urban -- The Religion Of Football : Sacrifice, Festival, And Sovereignty At The 2010 Fifa World Cup In South Africa / David Chidester -- Violent Silence : Noise And Bataille's Method Of Meditation / Paul Hegarty -- Georges Bataille And The Religion Of Capitalism / Jean-joseph Goux -- Sacrifice As Ethics : The Strange Religiosity Of Neoliberalism / Shannon Winnubst -- Bataille's Contestation Of Interpretive Anthropology And The Sociology Of Religion / Alphonso Lingis -- The Traumatic Secret : Bataille And The Comparative Erotics Of Mystical Literature / Jeffrey J. Kripal -- Foucault's Sacred Sociology / Mark D. Jordan -- Bataille And Kristeva On Religion / Zeynep Direk -- Bataille, Teilhard De Chardin, And The Death Of God / Allan Stoekl -- Does The Acéphale Dream Of Headless Sheep? / Jeremy Biles. Edited By Jeremy Biles And Kent L. Brintnall. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 285-302) And Index. Negative Ecstasies discusses the contribution and significance of the work of Georges Bataille to the contemporary study of religion and theology, collecting essays that examine specific case studies and make connections to other significant scholars in the field.