The Passage West ─ Philosophy and Globalisation

The phenomena of interdependence and time-space compression known as globalization indicate a threshold of no return for civilization such that ever closer reciprocal dependence and velocity of communications between populations portends a world in which peoples can no longer ignore one another and limit their relationships to mere utilitarian maneuvers, according to Marramao (political and theoretical philosophy, U. of Rome III, Italy), yet there remain a number of obstacles, contrasts, and conflicts that are preventing humanity from crossing this threshold. Setting himself the task of analyzing these obstacles, he engages in a wide ranging philosophical discussion that engages with the concept of the global articulated by such figures as Spengler, Junger, Schmitt, and Heidegger; explores debates between liberalism and communitarianism; proposes the concept of world-modernity as a successor to nation-modernity; considers the question of identity as the reference point for political conflict; and argues for the formulation of a universal politics of difference to replace the Western notion of universal norms. Annotation c2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Giacomo Marramao is Professor of Political and Theoretical Philosophy at the University of Rome III and Director of the Fondazione Basso. His publications include Kairos: Towards an Ontology of Due Time and La passione del presente.