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Summary Of Precarious Life By Jane Butler

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Continuing the discussion of how the human is defined, using the example of representations of gender and sexuality, it is important to note Butler’s counterintuitive argument that understandings of human are produced through inaccurate representations. Butler believes that “For representation to convey the human, then, representation must not only fail, but it must show its failure”(Precariousness 144). Use of the word failure in this sentence somewhat misleads the reader. In this instance representations that “fail” could be said to be successes. Butler believes that “there is something unrepresentable that we nevertheless seek to represent, and that paradox must be retained in the representation we give”(Precarious Life 144). Because they are attempting to represent something unrepresentable it makes sense that representations of humanity “fail”. More importantly though, Butler is suggesting two things about the nature of humans and representations. First, Butler is implying a certain fluidity to human nature. Her analysis presents the human as ephemeral in nature and unquantifiable. This refutes theories which perpetuate ideas of a universal human nature. …show more content…

In Precarious Life, Butler draws upon the french philosopher Levinas , theory of the face. Drawing from Levinas, Butler writes “The ‘I’ who sees that face is not identified with it: the face represents that for which no identification is possible, an accomplishment of dehumanization and a condition for violence”(Precarious Life 145). Violence and injustice operates in league with dehumanization, with dehumanization occurring before violence or injustice. Butler’s assertion that dehumanization occurs before violence and injustice seems to suggests that the answer to the problem of violence/injustice lies in politics of

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