New Books in Intellectual History

Moritz Föllmer, an Associate Professor of Modern History at the University of Amsterdam, examines notions of individual freedom in 20th-century Europe. He critiques traditional narratives of individuality, emphasizing a multitude of competing concepts. Föllmer discusses how wars shaped opportunities for personal independence, particularly for women. He also contrasts the liberal and social democracy frameworks of freedom, examines postwar moral policing, and explores the impact of neoliberalism and populism on contemporary notions of liberty against historical contexts.

In this engaging discussion, D. J. Taylor, an award-winning biographer known for his insightful explorations of literary figures, reexamines George Orwell's life and works. He draws on new sources and the perspectives of Orwell's last contemporaries. Taylor delves into Orwell's family origins, his transformative experiences in Burma, and the profound impact of his wartime writings. The conversation also highlights Orwell's evolving political views, the controversies surrounding his works, and the enduring relevance of 1984 in today's world.

Matt Dawson's The Political Durkheim: Sociology, Socialism, Legacies (Routledge, 2023) presents Durkheim as an important political sociologist, inspired by and advocating socialism. Through a series of studies, it argues that Durkheim’s normative vision, which can be called libertarian socialism, shaped his sociological critique and search for alternatives. With attention to the value of this political sociology as a means of understanding our contemporary world, the author asks us to look again at Durkheim. While Durkheim’s legacy has often emphasised the supposed conservative elements and stability advocated in his thought, we can point to a different legacy, one of a radical sociology. In dialogue with the decolonial critique, this volume also asks ‘was Durkheim white?’ and in doing so shows how, as a Jew, he experienced significant racialisation in his lifetime. A new reading and a vital image of a ‘political Durkheim’, The Political Durkheim will appeal to scholars and students with interests in Durkheim, social theory and political sociology.Rituparna Patgiri is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi. She has a PhD in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. Her research interests lie in the areas of food, media, gender and public. She is also one of the co-founders of Doing Sociology. Patgiri can be reached at @Rituparna37 on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

In this enlightening discussion, Alison Stone, a Professor of European Philosophy at Lancaster University, explores the overlooked contributions of women philosophers in 19th-century Britain. She highlights figures like Mary Shepherd, Ada Lovelace, and George Eliot, revealing their diverse views on naturalism, morality, and evolution. Stone uncovers how Victorian print culture helped these thinkers make their voices heard, despite academic barriers. She also examines the reasons for their historical neglect and emphasizes the need to broaden our understanding of philosophy to include these significant women.

Jim Endersby, a Professor at the University of Sussex, dives into the early 20th-century intersection of biology and culture. He discusses Hugo de Vries’s mutation theory and its fleeting fame, sparking public imagination about evolution. Endersby explores the concept of 'biotopia,' revealing how fiction writers like H.G. Wells reimagined biological futures. He also highlights the role of early sci-fi fandom in shaping scientific ideas and examines the influence of feminist and socialist narratives on evolving viewpoints about heredity.

Mike Jay, an author and curator specializing in drug history, discusses his latest work on the influential figures who explored consciousness through self-experimentation. He highlights the lost tradition of psychonauts, from Freud's cocaine use to William James's nitrous oxide insights. Jay delves into the cultural shifts surrounding drugs and advocates for a rational understanding of these substances. He also reflects on the revival of psychonautics in the 1960s and argues for clearer language in drug policy, emphasizing the need for nuanced discussions.

What does it mean when a radical understanding of National Socialism is inextricably embedded in the work of the twentieth century's most important philosopher? Martin Heidegger's sympathies for the conservative revolution and National Socialism have long been well known. As the rector of the University of Freiburg in the early 1930s, he worked hard to reshape the university in accordance with National Socialist policies. He also engaged in an all-out struggle to become the movement's philosophical preceptor, "to lead the leader." Yet for years, Heidegger's defenders have tried to separate his political beliefs from his philosophical doctrines. They argued, in effect, that he was good at philosophy but bad at politics. But with the 2014 publication of Heidegger's "Black Notebooks," it has become clear that he embraced a far more radical vision of the conservative revolution than previously suspected. His dissatisfaction with National Socialism, it turns out, was mainly that it did not go far enough. The notebooks show that far from being separated from Nazism, Heidegger's philosophy was suffused with it. In Heidegger in Ruins: Between Philosophy and Ideology (Yale University Press, 2022), Richard Wolin explores what the notebooks mean for our understanding of arguably the most important philosopher of the twentieth century, and of his ideas--and why his legacy remains radically compromised. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

In this enlightening conversation, Youshaa Patel, an Associate Professor of Religious Studies, explores the profound implications of the hadith, "Whoever imitates a people becomes one of them." He examines how notions of imitation have shaped Islamic identity through history, reflecting on personal experiences that fueled his curiosity about Muslim distinctiveness. Patel discusses the evolution of Muslim practices, from distinct rituals to the nuances of appearance. He also highlights modern debates around cultural and religious boundaries, urging a reconsideration of hierarchical distinctions in today’s plural societies.

Philip J. Stern, a historian and Duke University professor, delves into the pivotal role of corporations in British colonialism. He reveals how companies, from the East India Company to modern ventures, were integral to governing and expanding empires. By examining the evolving corporate landscape across centuries, he challenges traditional views of state versus corporate power. Stern also discusses the paradox of corporations as public and private entities, highlighting their complex legal origins and revealing surprising motivations behind these colonial enterprises.

Analyzed by Lacan: A Personal Account (Bloomsbury, 2023) brings together the first English translations of Why Lacan, Betty Milan's memoir of her analysis with Lacan in the 1970s, and her play, Goodbye Doctor, inspired by her experience.Why Lacan provides a unique and valuable perspective on how Lacan worked as psychoanalyst as well as his approach to psychoanalytic theory. Milan's testimony shows that Lacan's method of working was based on the idea that the traditional way of interpreting provoked resistance.Prior to Why Lacan, Milan wrote a play, Goodbye Doctor, based on her experience as Lacan's patient. The play is structured around the sessions of Seriema with the Doctor. Through the analysis, Seriema discovers why she cannot give birth, namely, an unconscious desire to satisfy the will of her father who didn't authorize her to conceive. She ceases to be the victim of her unconscious, grasps the possibility of choosing a father for her child and thus becoming a mother. Goodbye Doctor has been adapted into a film, Adieu Lacan, by the director Richard Ledes.Analyzed by Lacan features an Introduction by Milan to both works as well as a new interview with Mari Ruti about her writing and Lacan.Matthew Pieknik, LCSW, MA is a psychoanalyst and clinical supervisor in private practice in Manhattan. He can be reached at matthewpieknik@gmail.com. www.matthewlpieknik.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history