The discipline of anthropology is, at its best, characterized by
turbulence, self-examination, and inventiveness. In recent decades, new
thinking and practice within the field has certainly reflected this
pattern, as shown for example by numerous fruitful ventures into the
"politics and poetics" of anthropology. Surprisingly little attention,
however, has been given to the simple insight that anthropology is
composed of claims, whether tacit or explicit, about anthropos and about
logos--and the myriad ways in which these two Greek nouns have been,
might be, and should be, connected. Anthropos Today represents a
pathbreaking effort to fill this gap.
Paul Rabinow brings together years of distinguished work in this
magisterial volume that seeks to reinvigorate the human sciences.
Specifically, he assembles a set of conceptual tools--"modern
equipment"--to assess how intellectual work is currently conducted and
how it might change.
Anthropos Today crystallizes Rabinow's previous ethnographic inquiries
into the production of truth about life in the world of biotechnology
and genome mapping (and his invention of new ways of practicing this
pursuit), and his findings on how new practices of life, labor, and
language have emerged and been institutionalized. Here, Rabinow steps
back from empirical research in order to reflect on the conceptual and
ethical resources available today to conduct such inquiries.
Drawing richly on Foucault and many other thinkers including Weber and
Dewey, Rabinow concludes that a "contingent practice" must be developed
that focuses on "events of problematization." Brilliantly synthesizing
insights from American, French, and German traditions, he offers a
lucid, deeply learned, original discussion of how one might best think
about anthropos today.
