In recent years, the concept ‘post‐feminism’ and its links to neoliberal economic structures and to the extreme reinforcement of individualization as raison d'etre of Western civilization have been discussed at length by numerous distinguished scholars in feminist cultural studies and feminist philosophy. This article takes its point of departure in this discussion. Drawing on Wendy Brown, Elizabeth Grosz, Angela McRobbie, Wendy Larner, and others, the text is examining the discourse of post‐feminism and neoliberalism, and its effects on overarching political scenarios, (...) as well as on everyday life: What happens to feminist politics when the collective, both as figuration and as virtual political platform, is deemed to be something situated in the discursive outskirts? By drawing on examples form the contemporary cultural imaginaries, from popular culture, economic structures, and public debate, and by pointing out the links between the micro‐perspective of our everyday living and overarching political structures, this article aims at bringing to the fore and critically discuss these issues, and the ways in which they intersect with contemporary Western feminism. The article ends with a discussion of possible points of exit or paths to follow in order to find alternatives. (shrink)

Over the past few years postmodernism has been gaining popularity. Because the works of writers such as Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault, Gilles Deleuze, Jacques Lacan, and Félix Guattari, for example, are now readily available to the English reader, a novel intellectual force is present that must be assessed (Hassan, 1985). Terms such as “mise en abîme”, “libido”, “schizo-analysis”, “undecidables”, and so forth must be explained and their relevance for social analysis deciphered. Furthermore, a conception of knowledge, a research methodology, and (...) an image of social order that are consistent with these somewhat odd ideas have been introduced, and thus must be evaluated with respect to their sociological importance. At first, due to the strange language that is adopted and the nature of the philosophy offered, postmodernism appears to the uninitiated as an attempt to subvert rational discussion. (shrink)

This chapter suggests that, building on Ingold's work, we can use Kelabit ideas to encourage us to think further about the nature of individuation within a continuous flow of power and life through the cosmos. The Kelabit of Sarawak, probably in common with all other peoples not living within broader political, institutional and religious structures which present them with orthodoxies ready-made, have a strong inclination towards philosophical speculation. There is a good deal of variation in the ways in which individual (...) Kelabit see the workings of the cosmos, but they are agreed in viewing these in a holistic way, and driven by a unitary force which they call lalud. The presence of lalud is expressed through life; indeed, lalud and life cannot be disentangled. Lalud links the material and the unseen elements of the cosmos, which are two sides of the same coin. Living entities cohesions of lalud include humans, animals and plants; but they also include mountains and stones. (shrink)