New Books in Sociology Jack Palmer, "Zygmunt Bauman and the West: A Sociology of Intellectual Exile" (McGill-Queen's UP, 2023)
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Sep 22, 2024 Jack Palmer, an author delving into the sociology of intellectual exile, explores Zygmunt Bauman's profound impact on contemporary thought. They discuss Bauman’s experience of exile and its influence on his writings, highlighting themes of Eurocentrism and imperialism. The conversation addresses how personal identity shapes sociological perspectives, especially through Bauman's unique use of the essay form. They also analyze Bauman's relevance today, particularly within decolonial critiques and ongoing global challenges, prompting us to reconsider how we remember intellectuals.
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How Palmer Came To Bauman
- Jack Palmer discovered Bauman as an undergraduate after reading Modernity and the Holocaust and Winter in the Morning.
- That introduction shaped Palmer's move into sociology and his long engagement with Bauman's work.
Death And The Archive Sparked New Reading
- Bauman's death in 2017 and the opening of his archive at Leeds catalyzed Palmer's project and new biographical work.
- This posthumous context allowed scholars to assess Bauman's legacy and overlooked early writings.
The Exilic Position Explains Bauman's Gaze
- Palmer frames Bauman's position as 'exilic': in the West but not of it, shaped by displacement and uprooting.
- This exilic stance produces a hermeneutics of estrangement that affects both what Bauman studied and how he wrote.