Saul Newman, author of Political Theology: A Critical Introduction and Order, Crisis, and Redemption, discusses Carl Schmitt's concepts of sovereignty and the sovereign exception, his relation to anarchism and Stirner, and explores the relevance of Schmitt's ideas in times of crises, including the rise of right-wing populism and the ecological crisis.
Insurrection involves a transformative process of the self and challenges the traditional understanding of revolution.
Embracing the profane allows us to challenge the ideology of secularism and seek new ways of experiencing and relating to the world.
Engaging with the Unmanned enables us to resist oppressive power dynamics and pave the way for a revolution based on transformative inner experiences.
Deep dives
Stoner's Concept of Insurrection
Stoner distinguishes between revolution and insurrection, with the latter being a transformative process of the self rather than simply changing external conditions. Insurrection involves a micro-political and micro-ethical revolution, where the self detaches itself from power and authority. Stoner's aim is to transcend power and establish more autonomous forms of politics that exist outside of the order of power. This notion of the insurrection challenges the traditional understanding of revolution, prompting us to think about new strategies and forms of action to achieve political change.
The Profane as a Response to Secularism
The concept of the profane offers an alternative to secularism, which often replaces religion with new forms of idolatry or power. The profane involves a re-enchantment and re-engagement with the natural and material world, including ecosystems and non-human entities. It counteracts the alienation brought about by secularism and the ideology of man. By embracing the profane, we can challenge the perverse logic of secularism and seek new ways of experiencing and relating to the world.
Revolution and the Unmanned
Stoner's concept of the Unmanned explores the shadow or the underside of the idealized figure of man, which is imposed upon us by humanist secularism. The Unmanned represents everything that does not conform to the prescribed form of subjectivity. It challenges the dominant social, political, and moral ideals. Stoner suggests that by engaging with the Unmanned, we can resist the oppressive power dynamics of society and pave the way for a different kind of revolution that is not based solely on external changes, but on transformative inner experiences.
Engagement with Nature and Enchantment
The concept of pagan political theology proposes a reengagement with nature and a reenchantment of the world. It involves turning away from abstractions and metaphysical concepts and embracing the material world. This is a response to the capitalist logic of disentanglement and exploitation of nature. By affirming ecological entanglements and reestablishing a connection with the natural world, it becomes possible to challenge the dominant order and reimagine new forms of politics and ethics.
Stirner's alternative notion of freedom
Stirner proposes a concept of freedom that emphasizes individuality and personal determination of one's own path to freedom. This contrasts with the idea of a liberated or free society imposed by someone's particular idea of freedom. Stirner argues that even in a liberated society, power and forms of domination will always exist. He suggests the need to invent ethical strategies for promoting freedom rather than relying on revolutions or liberation.
Schmitt's idea of strong sovereignty and homogeneous populace
Schmitt advocates for a clear line of authority and a strong sovereignty, where power is concentrated and visible. He believes that democracy should be based on a homogeneous identity rather than pluralism. For Schmitt, democratic equality is premised on inequality, with certain people being part of the demos, while others are excluded. This exclusionary concept of democracy aligns with contemporary right-wing populism. Schmitt's vision disregards pluralism and encourages a clear and ordered structure of law and authority, which requires the exclusion of internal enemies and a homogeneous obedience.
Friend of the show, Saul Newman, returns to discuss his most recent work on Political Theology. The discussion focuses on Political Theology: A Critical Introduction and a forthcoming work titled Order, Crisis, and Redemption: Political Theology after Schmitt.
We take a look at Schmitt's concepts of the sovereignty, the sovereign acception, Schmitt's relation to anarchism and Stirner, and much more!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul_Newman
https://theanarchistlibrary.org/category/author/saul-newman
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