Method of Equality

Jacques Rancière is a leading French philosopher and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Paris-St. Denis. His many books include The Politics of Literature, Aesthetics and Its Discontents and The Future of the Image.

Words matter to Rancière. In these interviews, against the background of informed and beautifully crafted questions, Rancière works through and articulates, forms and re-forms, the words that contour his thought and provide it with its depth and power: equality, speech, subjectivization, stupidity, contradiction, possibility, event, scene, police, aesthetic regime, and on and on. The Method of Equality is, in reality, a Rancière lexicon in which each of his key words is returned to the political debates and living reality from which it arose. Essential reading for aficionados and newcomers to Rancière’s political philosophy.’J.M. Bernstein, New School for Social Research"Rancière’s thought, as explored in this book, provides the field of community development not only with insightful, fundamental challenges, but also with really useful ideas for moving forward; and, crucially, with hope." Anne Harley, Adult Education"Rancière’s thought, as explored in this book, provides the field of community development not only with insightful, fundamental challenges, but also with really useful ideas for moving forward; and, crucially, with hope."Community Development Journal

• FOREWORDPART ONE: GENESESCHILDHOOD AND YOUTHEDUCATIONREADING CAPITALATTITUDE TO COMMUNIST ENGAGEMENTMAY 68, VINCENNES AND THE GAUCHE PROLETARIENNETURNING POINTSIN THE NIGHTS OF LABOURBIRTH OF A METHOD: WAYS OF READING AND WRITINGMICHEL FOUCAULTLES REVOLTES LOGIQUES AND THE FALLOUT FROM MAY 68CINEMA, LEFT-WING FICTION AND POPULAR MEMORYPART TWO: LINESHERITAGE AND SINGULARITYANTI-SYSTEMATIC SYSTEMATICITYPRIVILEGING SPACE, RETHINKING TIMEEXCESS OR EVENTTHE DEFINITION OF A SCENESUBJECTIFICATION IN WORDSFACULTIES OR POSSIBILITIESAESTHETIC REVOLUTION, DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION?PHILOSOPHICAL WRITING AND ORDINARY DISCOURSESPHILOSOPHY IN EFFECTSTHE REST IS UP TO YOUTHE LAUGHTER IN A THOUGHTPART THREE: THRESHHOLDSDEMYSTIFICATION OR DECONSTRUCTIONCONSENSUS AND STUPIDITYWARDING OFF MASTERYLOCATING THE UNCONSCIOUSPROLETARIANS THEN AND NOWEQUALITY/INEQUALITIESTHE ORDERING OF THE COMMONDISIDENTIFICATION AND SUBJECTIFICATIONPOLITICS AND INSTITUTIONSTHE PLACE OF THE SOCIALNEWNESS AND HISTORICITYTHE DISPERSAL OF IMAGES; ANOTHER ART REGIME?POPULAR CULTURESPART FOUR: PRESENT TENSESMAPPING POSSIBILITIESFIGURES OF THE PRESENT, MODALITIES OF THE ‘POLICE’RUPTURES, REVOLUTIONS, REVOLTSA NEW INTERNATIONALISM?MIGRANT BODIES, SUFFERING BODIESHUMANS, NON-HUMANS: ON POLITICAL ECOLOGYA WORLD THAT HAS LOST ALL SENSE OF REALITY: HOW DO WE INFORM OURSELVES?THE HUMAN INTEREST STORY, ORDINARY LIVES, INVESTIGATIONPRECARIOUS AND POPULAR ARTS OF LIVINGTHE DIVISON OF THE SENSIBLE AND CONTEMPORARY ARTTHE FUTURE OF SOCIALISMPOLITICAL ECONOMICSINTERVIEWS AND DIALOGUEINDEX