The Posthuman offers both an introduction and major contribution to
contemporary debates on the posthuman. Digital 'second life',
genetically modified food, advanced prosthetics, robotics and
reproductive technologies are familiar facets of our globally linked and
technologically mediated societies. This has blurred the traditional
distinction between the human and its others, exposing the
non-naturalistic structure of the human. The Posthuman starts by
exploring the extent to which a post-humanist move displaces the
traditional humanistic unity of the subject. Rather than perceiving this
situation as a loss of cognitive and moral self-mastery, Braidotti
argues that the posthuman helps us make sense of our flexible and
multiple identities.
Braidotti then analyzes the escalating effects of post-anthropocentric
thought, which encompass not only other species, but also the
sustainability of our planet as a whole. Because contemporary market
economies profit from the control and commodification of all that lives,
they result in hybridization, erasing categorical distinctions between
the human and other species, seeds, plants, animals and bacteria. These
dislocations induced by globalized cultures and economies enable a
critique of anthropocentrism, but how reliable are they as indicators of
a sustainable future?
The Posthuman concludes by considering the implications of these
shifts for the institutional practice of the humanities. Braidotti
outlines new forms of cosmopolitan neo-humanism that emerge from the
spectrum of post-colonial and race studies, as well as gender analysis
and environmentalism. The challenge of the posthuman condition consists
in seizing the opportunities for new social bonding and community
building, while pursuing sustainability and empowerment.
