Introduction: Agamben and Radical Politics

This chapter explains the rationale for the book by surveying the reception of Agamben’s work and the development of the Homo Sacer project. It notes that Agamben was often criticised for political quietism and for focusing on sovereignty and the totalitarian state at the expense of capitalism and liberal government. It suggests that we should re-think Agamben’s contribution to critical thought on the basis of his recent works, which develop a genealogy of the theological roots of economy, and develop his account of a non-sovereign politics. It also emphasises the importance of Agamben’s engagement with classical and contemporary theorists associated with the revolutionary tradition for understanding his contribution to political thought.