Toscano on Fanaticism

Thanks to Stuart at Progressive Geographies for posting a number of links to recent talks by Alberto Toscano to the theme of his new book, Fanatacism. There is much to digest here on the nature of political passion and the mobilization of ‘fanaticism’ as a term of opprobrium leveled at a wide range of emancipatory projects. Whether the historical arc of such an argument can be sustained merits, of course, careful consideration (as does the parsing of its determinate performativities) and I hope to post at some point on the relationship between the figure of the ‘militant’ and the nature of protest cultures in West Germany in the 1970s and early 1980s.

The links include:

1. Radio 4 talk that includes a riposte by John Gray

2. Video clip at the Guardian

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