The Method of Equality

Words matter to Ranciere. In these interviews, against the background of informed and beautifully crafted questions, Ranciere 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 Ranciere 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 Ranciere's political philosophy.' J.M. Bernstein, New School for Social Research "Ranciere'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 "Ranciere'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

Jacques Ranciere 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.

FOREWORD PART ONE: GENESES CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH EDUCATION READING CAPITAL ATTITUDE TO COMMUNIST ENGAGEMENT MAY 68, VINCENNES AND THE GAUCHE PROLETARIENNE TURNING POINTS IN THE NIGHTS OF LABOUR BIRTH OF A METHOD: WAYS OF READING AND WRITING MICHEL FOUCAULT LES REVOLTES LOGIQUES AND THE FALLOUT FROM MAY 68 CINEMA, LEFT-WING FICTION AND POPULAR MEMORY PART TWO: LINES HERITAGE AND SINGULARITY ANTI-SYSTEMATIC SYSTEMATICITY PRIVILEGING SPACE, RETHINKING TIME EXCESS OR EVENT THE DEFINITION OF A SCENE SUBJECTIFICATION IN WORDS FACULTIES OR POSSIBILITIES AESTHETIC REVOLUTION, DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION? PHILOSOPHICAL WRITING AND ORDINARY DISCOURSES PHILOSOPHY IN EFFECTS THE REST IS UP TO YOU THE LAUGHTER IN A THOUGHT PART THREE: THRESHHOLDS DEMYSTIFICATION OR DECONSTRUCTION CONSENSUS AND STUPIDITY WARDING OFF MASTERY LOCATING THE UNCONSCIOUS PROLETARIANS THEN AND NOW EQUALITY/INEQUALITIES THE ORDERING OF THE COMMON DISIDENTIFICATION AND SUBJECTIFICATION POLITICS AND INSTITUTIONS THE PLACE OF THE SOCIAL NEWNESS AND HISTORICITY THE DISPERSAL OF IMAGES; ANOTHER ART REGIME? POPULAR CULTURES PART FOUR: PRESENT TENSES MAPPING POSSIBILITIES FIGURES OF THE PRESENT, MODALITIES OF THE 'POLICE' RUPTURES, REVOLUTIONS, REVOLTS A NEW INTERNATIONALISM? MIGRANT BODIES, SUFFERING BODIES HUMANS, NON-HUMANS: ON POLITICAL ECOLOGY A WORLD THAT HAS LOST ALL SENSE OF REALITY: HOW DO WE INFORM OURSELVES? THE HUMAN INTEREST STORY, ORDINARY LIVES, INVESTIGATION PRECARIOUS AND POPULAR ARTS OF LIVING THE DIVISON OF THE SENSIBLE AND CONTEMPORARY ART THE FUTURE OF SOCIALISM POLITICAL ECONOMICS INTERVIEWS AND DIALOGUE INDEX