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My post was a reaction to the publisher's publicity that was contained in a previous post, and was in a humorous and ironic vein that seemed to be warranted by the portentous excesses of the blurb. I'll reserve further serious comment for when I've read the book.  But one shouldn't assume that there isn't at least some scholarship behind the standup. Whilst one has to have due respect for the intellectual contributions that Thrift has made in the past, even where one engages critically with them, one has also to leave open the possibilities that other agendas might come to intervene in their unfolding reception and extension. My knowledge of what has happened at Warwick is localised (in a disciplinary sense) but it does relate very closely to the understanding of the concept affect in certain research areas, and of the micropolitics of critical scholarship in those areas, which have been under attack. There are micropolitical realities that don't square, at this point, with the macropolitical rhetoric, for me. 

I did not suggest sweeping aside the notion of affect, to which I've devoted too much time and effort not to want it to expire without a fight, but my own reading of the authors Paul mentions nevertheless makes me uneasy about the concept of "mobilising" it, which sounds more Bernays than Brennan. My readings of Lingis, and the brilliant Deleuzian ethnography of Kathleen Stewart, make me even more doubtful. I didn't notice any ad hominems in what I wrote, either, but perhaps a little of Sloterdijk's cynicism muddied the waters.

I'm not sure that any of us as Eliot's "hypocrite lecteurs" is above the term. Brunsson's book was a study of the difficulties of managing the political tensions of public office. It's a carefully argued work, now somewhat dated, but has some relevant wisdoms.

I agree that it's no easy matter to stick your head above any kind of parapet, but how it is evaluated depends on what you're trying to achieve. If you run a public institution, like any manager, you are responsible and accountable for what happens on your watch, whether you caused it or not. If you're a politician, your personal record of consistency in action becomes a matter for pubic scrutiny. If you presume to step into the ring and advise politicians as a public intellectual, both your record as an intellectual and as an administrator become subjects for fair comment. If the bold move comes off, you can end up in the Lords, like Tony Giddens.

And it seems a bit unfair to the substantial contributions of Amin to concentrate on what might appear to be Thrift-bashing. But before I shuffle off to Waterstone's, did anyone else wonder how the Times Higher came to think it ethically appropriate to ask a Professor from the very same University headed by one of the authors to review the book last week? Or was the uncharacteristically hagiographic nature of the review just one irony too many for me?

Have a good summer!

Steve

On 12 July 2013 11:34, <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
I think Amin and Thrift are re branding what Adorno recognised as (political) kitsch. In our Cowellised world 'mobilising affect' is the P-factor. It's actually the BS-factor of course. On the other hand there's certainly a lot of affect been managerially  mobilized at Warwick... some of it has ended up in other Universities. Just sharing intellectual capital I suppose, nothing elitist about it - couldn't accuse Thrift of bring Althusserian could we?

I'm tempted to reach down Nils Brunsson's OT book from the 80s - The Organization of Hypocrisy - for some tips. 

Steve

Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the EE network.
From: David Crouch
Sent: Friday, 12 July 2013 10:52
Reply To: David Crouch
Subject: Re: Arts of the Political: New Openings for the Left

I'm sure that 'mobilising affect' will be a popular winning slogan
 
From: A forum for critical and radical geographers [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Andrew Church [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 11 July 2013 17:36
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Arts of the Political: New Openings for the Left

Below Might be of interest I'm not sure. Do you want to meet anyway next Wednesday?

Andrew

Sent from my iPad

 

David

 

From: A forum for critical and radical geographers [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Beth Yarwood-Smith [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 11 July 2013 12:09
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Arts of the Political: New Openings for the Left

Apologies for cross posting.

 

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