Progressive Geographies

Rebecca Buxton and Lisa Whiting (eds.), The Philosopher Queens – Unbound, September 2020

For all the young women and girls sitting in philosophy class wondering where the women are, this is the book for you. This collection of 21 chapters, each on a prominent woman in philosophy, looks at the impact that women have had on the field throughout history. From Hypatia to Angela Davis, The Philosopher Queens will be a guide to these badass women and how their amazing ideas have changed the world. 

This book is written both for newcomers to philosophy, as well as all those professors who know that they could still learn a thing or two. This book is also for those many people who have told us that there are no great women philosophers. Please pledge, read this book and then feel free to get back to us.

Michel Serres and The Natural Contract – discussion with Christopher Watkin at Hermetix

Christopher Watkin is Senior Lecturer in French Studies at Monash University, he is also the author of French Philosophy Today and Michel Serres: Figures of Thought. In this episode we discuss Michel Serres’ text The Natural Contractalongside discussion on ecology, pollution, possession and nature. 

Christopher’s book on Serres can be purchased here.

Thanks to dmf for this link.

Update: the whole series is listed here – there are other discussions of Serres, and much more.

Naomi Waltham-Smith, Shattering Biopolitics: Militant Listening and the Sound of Life – Fordham University Press, 2021

No other details as yet on the Fordham page, but good to see this book listed as forthcoming.

Naomi’s Warwick page says the following:

My second monograph, Shattering Biopolitics: Militant Listening and the Sound of Life (forthcoming with Fordham University Press for the Commonalities series), develops my interests in the role of sound and listening in the philosophical tradition from Plato to contemporary French thought. It examines how sound is imbricated in the politics of life as it is theorised in the thought of Derrida, Cixous, Agamben, and Malabou, exploring the ramifications for the politics of sound, listening, and voice today.

Hermione Lee, ‘What is Biography?‘ (British Academy)

The Department for Education guidance ‘Higher education: reopening buildings and campuses‘ was posted very early this morning. Necessary, but deeply concerning, reading.

On this topic, see also my list of pieces from SAGE, Independent SAGE and others here and here; and a lot more on covid-19 can be found here – Geographers, sociologists, philosophers etc. on covid-19

Update 11 Sept: Universities are being forced to lie about being COVID safe (Open Democracy)

Update 12 Sept: Rachel Hall, ‘I suppose you’re stuck with these people’: the students facing an uncertain new term (The Guardian)

Jim Dickinson, Revised guidance for England on universities and Covid-19 means tiers before Christmas (WONKHE)

Sarah Kraus, Reopening Universities Isn’t Just a Threat to Staff and Students – It’s a Threat to Communities Too (NovaraMedia)

Update 13 Sept: Nervous students return to Bristol University: ‘For the sake of my studies I need to’ (The Observer)

John Wright, Coronavirus doctor’s diary: Will universities be able to avoid spreading the virus? (BBC News)

Update 14 Sept: Jonathan Peters, Coronavirus: Students return to socially-distanced university campuses (BBC News – Scotland)