What we’ve all been waiting for: the paperback version of Graham Harman‘s latest book, Prince of Networks: Bruno Latour and Metaphysics, is now available from re.press. This is a great moment for ANTHEM of course, not only because it marks the fruition of a review process that we have been fortunate to be part of (see The Harman Review), but also because this book promises to be a milestone in the debate about the relationship between actor-network theory and phenomenology, and more specifically, between Latour and Heidegger. In Lucas Introna’s words:
Graham Harman’s book Prince of Networks is a wonderfully eloquent exposition of the metaphysical foundations of Latour’s work. This is not an introduction to Latour. It is rather a skilful and penetrating interpretation of his work, as well as a insightful Heideggerian critique. At last somebody has taken Latour to heart and to task. I cannot imagine a more forceful, incisive and lucid analysis of the foundations of Latour’s work than this one.
Tags: Lucas Introna, metaphysics, Prince of Networks, re-press, The Harman Review
16 June 2009 at 1:56 pm |
[...] 16, 2009 A larger version of the Prince of Networks cover can be found on the ANTHEM WEBSITE. Posted by doctorzamalek Filed in Uncategorized No Comments [...]
16 June 2009 at 3:23 pm |
Is the title a reminiscence of the old tenebrous wisdom of the Egyptian Mysteries?
16 June 2009 at 5:14 pm |
I’m afraid your question is over my head. I am not aware of any reference to a “prince of networks” in the ancient Egyptian religion, though if there is such a thing, then I have accidentally stumbled into a remarkable coincidence.
17 June 2009 at 2:16 pm |
Thanks for the head’s up Peter. I just purchased a copy on-line and look forward to reading the book as soon as it arrives. Hopefully I will get a chance at some point in the near future (before the author becomes too famous to approach :-) to ask Graham to sign my copy!
Peadar.
18 June 2009 at 10:30 am |
Graham — without having read your book yet –,
Jan Assmann’s work on the Egyptian religion and its European comeback through illuminated pantheism (that’s in _Moses the Egyptian_, mostly) is possibly a nice clue to navigate through Latour’s take on iconoclasm, translation and divinity. The “Prince of Darkness” is not very popular among folks in the business of the monotheistic “counter-religion” (Assmann’s expression), but in the good old times he just used to be a quite reliable fellow among the crowd of demiurges, demons and other translators.
4 July 2009 at 9:10 am |
Oh, in that sense, yes?… “Prince of Darkness” was one of the resonances I tried to play on with that title. The other implied reference is to Machiavelli’s Prince. The original working title of the book (until spring/summer 2007) was King of Networks, but I think Prince works much better.