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Kristeva and the Political: Thinking the Political

Eddie Powell

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Published in Kristeva And The Political (Thinking The Political)

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Julia Kristeva's work on the political is a significant contribution to contemporary political thought. This article explores Kristeva's key concepts of the abject, the symbolic, and the chora, and argues that they provide a powerful framework for understanding the political in its multiple dimensions.

Kristeva and the Political (Thinking the Political)

by Zac Gershberg

5 out of 5

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The Abject

The abject is that which is expelled from the body and the social Free Download. It is the waste, the excrement, the corpse. The abject is that which is both fascinating and repulsive, that which we both desire and fear. Kristeva argues that the abject is a fundamental part of the human condition, and that it is through our relation to the abject that we come to understand our own subjectivity.

The abject is also a political concept. It is that which is excluded from the political community, that which is deemed to be unworthy of recognition. The abject is the refugee, the asylum seeker, the undocumented immigrant. It is the poor, the homeless, the sick. Kristeva argues that the abject is a constitutive part of the political, and that any politics that does not take account of the abject is doomed to failure.

The Symbolic

The symbolic is the realm of language and representation. It is the system of signs and symbols through which we make sense of the world. The symbolic is a powerful force, but it is also a fragile one. It can be used to create meaning and community, but it can also be used to deceive and manipulate.

Kristeva argues that the symbolic is a fundamental part of the political. It is through the symbolic that we articulate our political demands and aspirations. However, Kristeva also warns us that the symbolic can be a dangerous place. It can be used to create illusions and to justify violence. We must always be vigilant in our use of the symbolic, and we must never forget that it is only a representation of the real.

The Chora

The chora is a concept that Kristeva developed to describe the space between the subject and the object. It is a space of flux and indeterminacy, a space where anything is possible. The chora is the space of creativity and innovation, but it is also the space of violence and destruction. Kristeva argues that the chora is a fundamental part of the political, and that it is through the chora that we can come to understand the political in its full complexity.

The chora is a space of potential, but it is also a space of danger. It is a space where anything is possible, but it is also a space where anything can be destroyed. We must always be mindful of the dangers of the chora, and we must never forget that it is a space that can be used for both good and evil.

Julia Kristeva's work on the political is a significant contribution to contemporary political thought. Her concepts of the abject, the symbolic, and the chora provide a powerful framework for understanding the political in its multiple dimensions. Kristeva's work is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the political in the 21st century.

Kristeva and the Political (Thinking the Political)

by Zac Gershberg

5 out of 5