Issue 2, 2016

Editorial

Krisis

Krisis has a long tradition of introducing and discussing the work of representatives of Critical Theory. Over the years contributions dedicated to the work of for instance Theodor W. Adorno, Jürgen Habermas, Axel Honneth and Albrecht Wellmer were published. Some of them also published contributions in Krisis. This issue discusses the critical theory of Hauke Brunkhorst. The focus is on two of his recent books: Critical Theory of Legal Revolutions and Das Doppelte Gesicht Europas (‘The two faces of Europe’). An introduction to the work of Brunkhorst is followed by critical contributions on both books by Tannelie Blom, Darryl Cressman, René Gabriëls , Matthew Hoye, Sjaak Koenis, Pieter Pekelharing,  Willem Schinkel and Ludek Stavinoha. Finally, this dossier finds its closure with Brunkhorst’s reply to his critics.    

In addition to the dossier on the critical theory of Brunkhorst, this issue of Krisis contains three articles. In her article, Lieke van der Veer analyses and evaluates forms of border-crossing and residency that are considered problematic. She shows that states govern unwanted migration through the so-called ‘responsibilization’ of non-state actors. Further, Jess Bier explores in her article the documentary histories of Caribbean pirates. She argues for greater attention to the material boundaries of language to understand the entanglements between texts and the world. Lastly, François Levrau’s article is an intervention in the ongoing debate about multiculturalism. He critically reflects on Will Kymlicka’s political philosophy. This issue of Krisis also includes two book reviews. David Hollanders reviews David Graeber’s  The utopia of rules. On technology, stupidity, and the secret joys of bureaucracy (2015). Additionally, Frieder Vogelmann reviews Daniel Zamora’s Critiquer Foucault (2014) as well as Mitchell Dean’s and Kaspar Villadsen’s State Phobia and Civil Society (2016).

This new issue of Krisis is accompanied by an entire new digital environment. In order to make Krisis more accessible it is redesigned and equipped with an entire new website. However, with regard to the content nothing changed.  As this issue shows, Krisis stays a platform for articles that discuss issues in contemporary social, political and cultural thought, and also seeks to make the work of classic authors relevant to current social and cultural problems. Furthermore, it upholds its function as a forum for current critical thought on public affairs.

Biografie

Krisis