Summary
Judith Butler's "The Psychic Life of Power" argues that psychic life is produced by the social operation of power, and that this power is subsequently hidden and reinforced by the very psyche it creates. The book synthesizes social theory, philosophy, and psychoanalysis to analyze subject formation, a concept central to Butler's prior work.
This analysis reveals how power operates through the psyche, shaping individuals while simultaneously obscuring its own influence. Readers will understand the intricate relationship between social power structures and the development of individual consciousness, gaining insight into the mechanisms of subjection.
Key concepts
- Psychic life — The internal world of an individual, understood as being generated by social power.
- Social operation of power — The way power functions within society to produce and shape subjects.
- Subject formation — The process by which an individual develops into a subject, influenced by social and psychic forces.
- Theory of subject formation — The specific model or explanation Butler provides for how subjects come to be.
From the book
Description: Judith Butler's new book considers the way in which psychic life is generated by the social operation of power, and how that social operation of power is concealed and fortified by the psyche that it produces. It combines social theory, philosophy, and psychoanalysis in novel ways, and offers a more sustained analysis of the theory of subject formation implicit in her previous books.
Snippet: Judith Butler's new book considers the way in which psychic life is generated by the social operation of power, and how that social operation of power is concealed and fortified by the psyche that it produces.