I don't know how long our interest in returning to LJ will last, but let's get theorizing.  A crisis is always a great time for theory.  How about...top ten list of theories about viruses/quarantines/illness/contagion/etc. I'll fill out #1 for everyone, becuase it's just so obvious.

1.  Foucault, Discipline & Punish
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    You guys, I feel like the parts of my brain that understand theory are atrophying.  My new department is not open to theoretical discourse.  I don't think they're actively hostile toward it, but there's no one to have conversations with about this stuff.  Except for you, Theory Is Hot Crew.  Our attempts at group reads don't seem to work out so ( Read more... )

I just read Agamben's What is an Apparatus.. It's a clearly written and deep archaeology of Foucault's notion of the apparatus or dispositif (who I understand was accustomed to being hoisted on his own petard and various other apparatuses after moving to California) that traces it back through Hegel to the early church's theological notion of " ( Read more... )