Homo Sacer: Sacrificial Condition in Giorgio Agamben’s Narration of Sovereignty

Abstract

In this study, we attempt to put Agamben’s homo sacer conceptualization within a critical perspective. Agamben’s political philosophy, which contributes important insights into the invisible dimensions of sovereignty, gives a special place for homo sacer. However, even if this concept plays an important role in elucidating the certain dimensions of authority relations violence-law relationship , it is hardly a good attitude to permit it to monopolize every dimension of authority relations. This study, which tries to call attention to the troubles of such an attitude, gives special importance to the concept of sacrifice and claims that Agamben is at pains to purify authority relations and sovereignty from the symbolic elements. In the first part of the study, Agamben’s homo sacer conceptualization is presented. In the second, the inconsistencies and troubles in this conceptualization are highlighted. In the last part, it is claimed that Agamben’s account of sovereignty cannot transcend the logic of sacrifice.

Keywords

• Agamben, Homo sacer, Naked Life, Sacrifice, Sovereignty

KUTSAL İNSAN: GIORGIO AGAMBEN’İN EGEMENLİK ANLATISINDA KURBANSAL DURUM

Öz

Çalışmamızda Agamben’in homo sacer kavramını eleştirel bir bakış açısıyla incelemeye çalıştık. Egemenliğin görünmeyen boyutlarının farkına varmamızı sağlayan Agamben’in egemenlik kuramında homo sacer mühim bir yerde durmaktadır. Ancak Agamben’in, egemenlik ilişkilerinin şiddet-yasa boyutunu aydınlatmak için elverişli olan bu kavramı, siyasi hayatın yegâne gerçekliği olarak ortaya koyması, siyasi kuramında bazı sıkıntıların ortaya çıkmasına neden olmuştur. Bu sıkıntıların kendini en çok belli ettiği yer ise, kurban kavramıdır. Çalışmamız, homo sacer’in kurbandan tam olarak arındırılamadığı gerçekliğinin altını çizerek, temsili ve simgesel olandan arındırılmış bir egemenlik anlatısının sıkıntılarını ortaya koymaya çalışmıştır. Çalışmamız birinci bölümünde Agamben’in homo sacer kavramsallaştırması üzerinde durulmuştur. İkinci bölümde bu kavramsallaştırmanın sıkıntılarına işaret edilmiş ve üçüncü bölümde, Agamben’in kurban mantığını aşamadığı ortaya konmaya çalışılmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Agamben, Çıplak Hayat, Egemenlik, Homo Sacer, Kurban.

Kaynakça

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