Butler Goes to Work A Political Economy of the Subject

This paper works to theorize Judith Butler’s conception of subjectivity and subject formation in its historical relation to and role in political economy and the capitalist mode of production. I begin with industrial capitalism, where I read Marx through Butler, arguing that the norms by which the s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBorderlands e-journal Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 1 - 19
Main Author Ford, Derek R.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Anthony Burke 01.05.2013
Borderlands
Subjects
Analysis
Beliefs, opinions and attitudes
Butler, Judith
Capitalism
ESSAYS
Feminist theory
Gender identity
Individual and society
Interaction
Marx, Karl
Marxian analysis
Marxism
Materialism
Modes of Production
Political Economy
Political philosophy
Political power
Political science
Power (Social sciences)
Production
Psychological aspects
Radicalism
Social aspects
Social relations
Social theory
State Role
Subject
Subjectivity
Universals (Philosophy)
Universals and individuals (Philosophy)
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ISSN1447-0810
1447-0810

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Summary:This paper works to theorize Judith Butler’s conception of subjectivity and subject formation in its historical relation to and role in political economy and the capitalist mode of production. I begin with industrial capitalism, where I read Marx through Butler, arguing that the norms by which the subject comes to be constituted as an autonomous and sovereign individual are fundamentally connected with industrial capitalist production. Next, I sketch the transition from industrial to immaterial capitalism focusing on Marx’s concept of the ‘general intellect’ and the interactions between workers and machines, turning again to Butler to help understand this transition. After articulating what I mean by immaterial production I demonstrate how, as capitalism passes into the immaterial era, the norms that render the subject as an individual become challenged. I theorize a contingency between Butler’s conception of the subject as radically dependent, relational, and opaque and the capitalist mode of production in the immaterial era. In addition to advancing theoretical engagements between Butler’s work, materialism, and Marxism, I believe that this examination is helpful for understanding both contemporary subject formation and contemporary capitalist social and economic relations.
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ISSN:1447-0810
1447-0810