Posthumanism (Themes in 20th and 21st Century Literature)

Posthumanism (Themes in 20th and 21st Century Literature)

This timely book examines the rise of posthumanism as both a material condition and a developing philosophical-ethical project in the age of cloning, gene engineering, organ transplants and implants.

Nayar first maps the political and philosophical critiques of traditional humanism, revealing its exclusionary and â€˜speciesistâ€™ politics that position the human as a distinctive and dominant life form. He then contextualizes the posthumanist vision which, drawing upon biomedical, engineering and techno-scientific studies, concludes that human consciousness is shaped by its co-evolution with other life forms, and our human form inescapably influenced by tools and technology. Finally the book explores posthumanismâ€™s roots in disability studies, animal studies and bioethics to underscore the constructed nature of â€˜normalcyâ€™ in bodies, and the singularity of species and life itself.

As this book powerfully demonstrates, posthumanism marks a radical reassessment of the human as constituted by symbiosis, assimilation, difference and dependence upon and with other species. Mapping the terrain of these far-reaching debates, Posthumanism will be an invaluable companion to students of cultural studies and modern and contemporary literature.
Country USA
Manufacturer Polity
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2014-06-05
Format Kindle eBook

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