The contemporary importance of A. N. Whitehead (1861-1947) lies in his direct yet productive challenge to the culture of thought inherent in modernity, a challenge that suffuses science, social theory and philosophy alike. Unlike some of the more destructive aspects of postmodernism and poststructuralism, Whitehead's diagnosis of the conceptual fault lines of the modern era does not entail a passive relativism. Instead, he calls for a renewal of our concepts, offering a positive, philosophical approach based on becoming, relativity, and a reconception of subjectivity and the social. This book outlines Whitehead's philosophy, using it to reorient a range of specific questions and topics within contemporary social theory.

This book outlines A.N. Whitehead's philosophy of process, and uses it to re-orient a range of topics within social theory.

About the Author

Michael Halewood is a Senior Lecturer in Social Theory at the University of Essex. He has published articles and chapters on Whitehead's relation to Deleuze, Badiou and Butler, as well as pieces on John Dewey, subjectivity and materiality, the body, language and sociality. He has also edited a special section of the journal 'Theory, Culture and Society' dedicated to Whitehead, and is an International Academic Advisor to the Whitehead Research Project.

Reviews

'Whitehead's work is scantly mentioned in the social sciences and his name has gone unrecognized. Halewood's book offers a corrective to this omission... Halewood gives us a review of Whiteheadian thought that is sophisticated and thorough yet still within the reach of, say, an advanced undergraduate... Halewood's book does the important work of elucidating how Whiteheadian process-relational thought offers a useful framework for the social sciences of today.' -Michael Carolan, 'Process Studies'

Book Information
ISBN 9781783080694
Author Michael Halewood
Format Paperback
Page Count 198
Imprint Anthem Press
Publisher Anthem Press
Weight(grams) 454g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 153mm * 26mm