Agamben's Philosophical Trajectory

Adam Kotsko’s new book, Agamben’s Philosophical Trajectory, does a masterful job of weaving together a narrative of Agamben’s work as a whole while consciously avoiding the trap of treating Agamben’s 60-year career as possessing an impossible consistency. While this book was not written as an introduction to Agamben, its comprehensive and chronological coverage of his oeuvre means that it can serve as a fantastic starting point for those new to the often extremely challenging thinker. At the same time, it can work as a means for those who are familiar with some of Agamben’s writings to get a grasp on his wider project. Even those well-versed in Agamben’s political theory, for instance, will benefit from Kotsko’s discussion of Agamben’s earlier writings. -- Paul Gorby, University of St Andrews * Marx & Philosophy Review of Books *
Adam Kotsko’s brilliant study provides a chronological and systematic reading of Giorgio Agamben’s writings that allows us to see the evolution of Agamben’s thought over the years, as it responds to the varied historical contexts and philosophical problems uniquely characteristic of his oeuvre. As Kotsko is particularly attuned to the turn from the poetic to the political, he demonstrates subtle nuances often otherwise missed within Agamben’s work, making Agamben’s Philosophical Trajectory a fascinating portrait of the many twists and turns, continuities and discontinuities alike, within his philosophy. This book will most certainly serve as a definitive account of Agamben’s development for years to come. -- Colby Dickinson, Loyola University Chicago