Foreword by Slavoj Žižek Introduction: The Post-Political is the Post-Racial Chapter 1: Liberal Multiculturalism: From “Checking Your Privilege” to “Checking Our Fantasy” Chapter 2: Deconstruction: Hospitality, Hostility, and the “Real” Neighbor Chapter 3: Postcolonialism: From the Culturalization of Politics to the Politicization of Culture Chapter 4: Critical Race Theory: The Subject Supposed to Loot, Rape, and Terrorize Chapter 5: Afro-Pessimism: Traversing the Fantasy of the Human, or Rewriting the Grammar of Suffering Conclusion: “All Lives Matter” or “Black Lives Matter”? Yes, Please! Bibliography Index
The first book to examine Slavoj Žižek’s philosophy of race by clarifying, critiquing and placing it in dialogue with broader debates within race studies. Includes a foreword by Slavoj Zizek responding to the book and clarifying his own position vis ad vis contemporary debates around race.
Zahi Zalloua is the Cushing Eells Professor of Philosophy and Literature and Professor of French and Interdisciplinary Studies at Whitman College, USA.
With a penetrating Žižekian reading of racism, Zalloua offers a
compelling critique of anti-racism that no one interesting in this
politics can choose to ignore. … The Žižekian Marxism he proposes
could be a potential theoretical foundation for the proletarian
positions of the 21st Century.
*Marx and Philosophy Review of Books*
Žižek on Race provides new revelations on every page about the ways
that psychoanalytic theory, specifically that of Slavoj Žižek,
contributes to the critique of racism. For those who believe that
Žižek has nothing to say about racism, Zalloua’s book will prove an
eye-opening experience. It completely changes how we can theorize
the fight against racism.
*Todd McGowan, Professor of English, University of Vermont,
USA*
Against the fake neutralism of the Western liberal gaze and its
obverse side of identity politics, Zahi Zalloua lends a powerfully
articulate voice to Žižek’s uncompromising call for a new
“universality of strangers”. Drawing clear-sighted connections
between Black Lives Matter, Palestinian resistance, Afro-pessimism
and class struggle this timely intervention develops Žižekian
themes and ideas in politically bold and creative ways, directly
challenging today’s Left and Right orthodoxies on race and
racism.
*Glyn Daly, Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Northampton,
UK, and author of Speculation: Politics, Ideology, Event*
In Žižek on Race Zahi Zalloua achieves several remarkable feats. To
point out just two of them: First, he provides an extremely helpful
and timely account of Žižek’s conceptual and political arguments on
racism, bringing out their systematic nature and unique and
particularly valuable core. Second, and related to Zalloua’s own
reading of both contemporary social antagonisms and Žižek’s theory,
he successfully avoids and transposes the alternative between
particular identity and universalism, which has been mortifying the
emancipatory struggles for far too long. The book is an absolute
must for anyone who wants to think and confront the problem of
racism in both its simplicity and complexity.
*Alenka Zupancic, Professor of Philosophy and Psychoanalysis at The
European Graduate School, Switzerland*
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