Acts of Citizenship

Acts of Citizenship

by EnginF.Isin (Author), Greg M . Nielsen (Author)

Synopsis

This book introduces the concept of 'act of citizenship' and in doing so, re-orients the study of what it means to be a citizen. Isin and Nielsen show that an 'act of citizenship' is the event through which subjects constitute themselves as citizens. They claim that such an act involves both responsibility and answerability, but is ultimately irreducible to either. This study of citizenship is truly interdisciplinary, drawing not only on new developments in politics, sociology, geography and anthropology, but also on psychoanalysis, philosophy and history. Ranging from Antigone and Socrates in the ancient world to checkpoints, euthanasia and flash mobs in the modern one, the 'acts' and chapters here build up a dynamic and wide-ranging picture. Acts of Citizenship provides important new insights for all those concerned with the relationship between individuals, groups and polities.

$50.23

Quantity

20+ in stock

More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Edition: illustrated edition
Publisher: Zed Books Ltd
Published: 25 Feb 2008

ISBN 10: 1842779524
ISBN 13: 9781842779521

Media Reviews
'Acts of Citizenship is itself an exuberant, startling, act of social theory about the acts that create and transform our bonds as citizens. The names of Derrida, Levinas, and Agamben fly from the pages, along with a range of figures such as the Tank Man of Tiananmen square, Socrates, Seneca and Pat Tillman. This is the book to read if you want to know where social theory is now.' Stephen Turner, University of Southern Florida 'Without nostalgia or sentimentality, this volume revives even as it disseminates and complicates an appreciation of active citizenship. Philosophically rich, culturally wide-ranging and eminently readable, this is a marvelous, indeed inspiring book' Wendy Brown, University of California
Author Bio
Engin F. Isin is Chair and Professor of Citizenship in Politics and International Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Open University. He is also director of the Centre for Citizenship, Identities, Governance at the Faculty of Social Sciences.His books include Cities Without Citizens (1992) and Being Political (2002). Greg M. Nielsen is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Centre for Broadcasting Studies at Concordia University in Montreal.