Posthumanist Research and Writing as Agentic Acts of Inclusion

Anne B. Reinertsen is a Professor in the Faculty of Education, Østfold University College, Halden, Norway.Louise M. Thomas is an Independent Academic, Brisbane, Australia.

"Throughout this passionately argued and beautifully written book, Reinertsen and Thomas weave together a structure that explores knowledge practices as dynamic forces and engages in dialogue, adaptation and contestation. Disrupting a linear style, their collaborative writing articulates their philosophy.Never ‘sitting still’ themselves, as philosophers, educators, practitioners and women who question, live, love and propel us to think and also think other, Reinertsen and Thomas’ book is profoundly engaging. By including the more-than-human, the authors leave us with the wonderful gift of becoming more curious, of continuing to ask questions, and of asking different kinds of questions." -- Karin Murris, Professor of Early Childhood Education, University of Oulu, Finland and University of Cape Town, South Africa"With a more than important focus on positioning knowledge as a force and as a practice, thus involving an openness of thought that contests thinking in conformity, this book presents and guides a reader through a variety of examples of differing knowledge practices. The work of this book is to make comments about the paradox and fear of losing knowledge in what is currently referred to as a knowledge informed society. By challenging the reader’s minds and as a constant work in progress, the book should be found on the tables of scholars, students and other interested public. In particular, this is because the book represents a stepping-beyond the endeavours of traditional quantitative and qualitative research efforts to achieve validity, purpose and outcomes." -- Marko Koščak, Associate professor at the University of Maribor, Slovenia."The authors pose the question as to the certainty of knowledge through the perspective of post-humanist research. This suggests that they are challenging the reader to consider the role of uncertainty in what they view as our current paradoxical knowledge situation given their predication of the view that the constitution of knowledge is itself uncertain.I find the ethnographic dimension - engaging writers, readers and texts - very interesting and value the focus that the authors have made of this topic within their work. Undoubtedly, we also need to look at new ways of addressing the cultural narrative and most commend this book on taking such a bold step in this direction.At the same time, it is important to view the broader perspective of the book - challenging the reader to seek new ways of examining our approach to knowledge and evaluating the process which we undertake to do this." -- Tony O’Rourke, Professor Emeritus, Green Lines Institute for Sustainable Development, Portugal

• Introduction to the seriesPrefaceSECTION ITheoretical and philosophical groundwork on knowledge and knowability1 Introducing our riddling for knowledging2 Writing and text as a response to the complexity and uncertainty of knowledge3 Ontologies of indeterminacy and freedom4 Authoring agency – force and flow: the paradox of slow and spaceSECTION IIThe actioning of theoretical thinking and knowledging: minor fugitive research policies and becoming designs5 Minor research policies and inclusive educational becoming designs6 Becoming technologists: thinking grids and/of orientationSECTION IIIFutures governing presents: new space-time domains for ‘tentative-isms’7 Working our ‘tentative-isms’ in the knowledge academy: education for fugitive futures8 Re-authoring methodologies9 Hanging upside down for another retake with Aion and Eros bothReferences