The Revolution is the Emergency Break: Essays on Walter Benjamin

Michael Löwy

jun 2024 · Taylor & Francis

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Winner of the 2020 European Walter Benjamin Prize, The Revolution is the Emergency Break is a rich discussion of Walter Benjamin’s lesser-known writings by renowned social scientist Michael Löwy. Translated into several languages but available in English for the very first time, Löwy’s book brings together the philosophical, literary, theological and cultural aspects of Benjamin’s writings, including his relation to figures such as Gershom Scholem and Franz Rosenzweig, his interpretation of historical materialism, surrealism, anti-fascism and anarchism, his contribution to understanding capitalism as a religion, and his relevance for Latin America and ecology today. The concept of revolution in his writings – not only the political ones but also those that deal with art, literature or theology, run through the work, connecting the various chapters. The Revolution is the Emergency Break also features four new chapters in this collection. Written in a clear-eyed, accessible language, The Revolution is the Emergency Break is a must-read for researchers, teachers and students interested in the works of this influential German intellectual.

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Michael Löwy completed two PhDs at the Sorbonne, in 1964 and 1974. He is the recipient of the CNRS Silver Medal as the best French social scientist (1994) and the European Walter Benjamin Prize (2020). His writings have been translated into 30 languages. He co-authored, with Joel Kovel and Ian Angus, the ecosocialist Declaration of Belem (2009) at the Belem Social World Forum (Brazil). He is a member of the steering committee of the Global Ecosocialist Network.