Mbembe affirms—Bataille’s K of ptx is key to his understanding of Necropolitics
Lmseger ‘11 – Lmseger, anonymous author with Gender, Race and Biotech: Biopolitics Across Borders, a graduate seminar held in the Department of Gender Studies at Indiana University in Spring 2011. “Mbembe’s ‘Necropolitics’ (notes)”, Gender, Race, And Biotech: Biopolitics Across Borders, 01/31/2011; https://biopoliticssacrossborders.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/mbembes-necropolitics-notes/ Accessed 07/31/2023 | RN *bracketed for gendered language
Politics, the Work of Death, and the “Becoming Subject” – In this section, Mbembe “present[s] a reading of politics as the work of death.” (16) Starting from Hegel’s account of death, “the human being truly becomes a subject – that is, separated from the animal – in the struggle and the work through which he or she confronts [they confront] death,” (14) Mbembe concludes, “Politics is therefore death that lives a human life.” (15) [Does Mbembe’s progression make sense in this paragraph?] Mbembe also draws heavily on Bataille to complete his rereading of politics. [Since I haven’t read Bataille before, does anyone else want to discuss the accuracy of Mbembe’s interpretation?]