The Demon of Writing: Powers and Failures of Paperwork

Since the middle of the eighteenth century, political thinkers of all kinds -- radical and reactionary, professional...
€28,50 EUR
€28,50 EUR
SKU: 9781942130352
Product Type: Books
Please hurry! Only 672 left in stock
Author: Ben Kafka
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Subtotal: €28,50
10 customers are viewing this product
The Demon of Writing: Powers and Failures of Paperwork by Kafka, Ben

The Demon of Writing: Powers and Failures of Paperwork

€28,50

The Demon of Writing: Powers and Failures of Paperwork

€28,50
Author: Ben Kafka
Format: Paperback
Language: English

Since the middle of the eighteenth century, political thinkers of all kinds -- radical and reactionary, professional and amateur -- have been complaining about "bureaucracy." But what, exactly, is all this complaining about?

The Demon of Writing is a critical history and theory of one of the most ubiquitous, least understood forms of media: paperwork. States rely on records to tax and spend, protect and serve, discipline and punish. But time and again this paperwork proves to be unreliable. Examining episodes from the story of a clerk who lost his job and then his mind in the French Revolution to Roland Barthes's brief stint as a university administrator, the book reveals the powers, failures, and even pleasures of paperwork. Many of its complexities, the book argues, have been obscured by the comic-paranoid style that characterizes so many of our criticisms of bureaucracy. At the same time, the book outlines a new theory of what Marx called the "bureaucratic medium." Returning first to Marx, then to Freud, The Demon of Writing argues that this theory of paperwork must be attentive to both praxis and parapraxis.

Author: Ben Kafka
Publisher: Zone Books
Published: 04/14/2020
Pages: 184
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.65lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.70d
ISBN: 9781942130352
Audience: Young Adult

About the Author
Kafka, Ben: - Ben Kafka is an Assistant Professor of Media History and Theory at New York University and a candidate at the Institute for Psychoanalytic Training and Research (IPTAR), a component society of the International Psychoanalytical Association. He works with adult and adolescent patients through the IPTAR Clinical Center and the NYC Free Clinic.

Returns Policy

You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).

If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.

Shipping

We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.

When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.

Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.

Related Products

Recently Viewed Products