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Key Contemporary Concepts
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Key Contemporary Concepts
From Abjection to Zeno's Paradox

First Edition


February 2003 | 222 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
'A book which all students of the human sciences will find useful, both for its range of engagements and its pedagogic ambitions. To be read and to be enjoyed' - Nigel Thrift, University of Bristol

This book is the essential roadmap to the key concepts which frame our understanding of society and culture. From cybernetics to quantum theory, from ideology to power, from aesthetics to mimesis, this book spans a range of disciplines to provide an insight into the current scientific and intellectual state of society. Written by the author of the international bestseller Fifty Key Contemporary Thinkers (Routledge, 1994) this ambitious pedagogical and intellectual project dazzles with insight and the breadth of knowledge presented.

Each entry provides a history and current meaning of the concept in question. It then outlines its place in the work of a key author, while also offering an interpretation of the term's significance, both current and classical. Concepts are organized in alphabetical order, complete with references for further research, making this the essential reference for students throughout the social sciences and humanities.


 
A Note on the Text
 
Introduction
 
A Abjection Aesthetics Alienation Allegory Analogue Analytic-Synthetic Arbitrary Atonality
 
B Beauty Being Biotechnology Blasé Body
 
C Chance Clone Code Communication Community Complexity Culture Cybernetics Cyberspace Cyborg
 
D Deconstruction Dictionary-Encyclopedia Diegesis Différance Difference-Individuality Differend Digital
 
E Economy Encyclopedia (see Dictionary-Encyclopedia) Entropy Epistemology Eros-Eroticism Event Exchange
 
F Family Fantasy / Phantasy Fantasm Fractal Freedom Fuzzy Logic
 
G General Will Gift Globalisation Governmentality Grammatology
 
H Habitus History
 
I Icon Identification Identity Ideology Image Imaginary Imagination Immanent/Immanence-Transcendent / Transcendence Index Information Interpretation
 
J Justice
 
K Klanfarbenmelodie Knowledge
 
L Labour-power Legitimacy Life Local Logos-Mythos Love
 
M Memory Metaphor Metaphysics Mimesis Modernity Money Montage Mythos (see Logos-Mythos)
 
N Necessity Network Nihilism
 
O Object Ontology Other
 
P Panopticon Phantasy / Phantasm (see Fantasy / Fantasm) Pixel Postmodernity Power Profane (see Sacred-Profane)
 
Q Quantum
 
R Responsibility Ressentiment Rhizome Risk-Society
 
S Sacred-Profane Semiotic Sign: Signifier/Signified Simulacrum Spectacle Subject Synthetic (see Analytical-Synthetic)
 
T Technics Theory Thermodynamics Time Transcendence (see Immanent/Immanence / Transcendent / Transcendence) Truth
 
U Unconscious Universal
 
V Value Virtual (see Cyberspace) Virus, W Work Writing
 
X Xenophobia, Z Zeno's Paradox

'A book which all students of the human sciences will find useful, both for its range of engagements and its pedagogic ambitions. The book is best thought of as a cabinet full of the theoretical curiosities of the modern age, able to be dipped in to and out of at will. And, like a cabinet of curiosities, it is not just a repository of knowledge but, also, in the very best sense, an entertainment. To be read and to be enjoyed.’ Nigel Thrift, University of Bristol


some info in book was relevant but on the whole not suitable for this course, good book though

Miss Kimberley Mcintosh
School of Applied Social Studies, Robert Gordon University
February 13, 2013

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