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A review by buttchinbookchin
The Force of Nonviolence: The Ethical in the Political by Judith Butler
2.0
If you are looking for a coherent history, explanation, or argument about nonviolence, this book is not it. It is like beads on a string of interesting claims related to those made in the introduction, but never returning to the points promised at the outset of the book. This is not to say that Judith Butler is flawed, being the titan that she is, and her writing being majestic. It’s clear that she decided this book was not worth her time and rushed it. But who am I to complain? I got it 60% off, and it’ll still help me write my paper!
I don’t think this book is too useful for non-academics. It’s written in the dense, winding prose that characterizes sociological literature (although lacks the rigor of publications in those fields). However, Butler gives names to ideas that I previously did not know despite having encountered them in my life. I think, however, the main argument of the book was made in the introduction and I spent the rest of the book looking for it and thinking I missed it because it wasn’t there. Should you buy it, read the introduction and the conclusion and the chapter on law. Or if you’re an academic, assign those in your classes.
I don’t think this book is too useful for non-academics. It’s written in the dense, winding prose that characterizes sociological literature (although lacks the rigor of publications in those fields). However, Butler gives names to ideas that I previously did not know despite having encountered them in my life. I think, however, the main argument of the book was made in the introduction and I spent the rest of the book looking for it and thinking I missed it because it wasn’t there. Should you buy it, read the introduction and the conclusion and the chapter on law. Or if you’re an academic, assign those in your classes.