Back

Development of doctoral studies

The doctoral thesis synthesizes the notion of affect based on its various interpretations, which is then utilized to create a model of affect-oriented ontology as well as overview its epistemological, ethical, and (bio)political implications. The dissertation is comprised of two parts: synthetical and analytical. The first (synthetical) part solves the problematics stemming from the conceptualization of the notion of affect: theoretical (the semantic content of the notion of affect is determined), conceptual-methodological (affect is operationalized as an ontological category), and practical-analytical (affect is localized in the context of biopolitics). The second (analytical) part demonstrates that the ontologization of affect and its localization at the heart of biopolitics enables a conceptual reconfiguration of biopolitics as well as the identification and critical reflection of new, not examined before biopolitical phenomena. The analysis of negative biopolitics reveals that its modus operandi is affective orthopedics – that is, regulation and correction of dangerous for biopower affects and (re)production of useful ones. It means that biopower functions not only in the register of actuality but also in those of potentiality and virtuality. However, since affect and biopower function in the same ontological domain, the emancipatory potential of affect is emphasized. Based on this observation, philosophical, ontological, and practical-political implications of this alternative version of biopolitics – affirmative affective biopolitics – are discussed as well as the fundamental principles of such biopolitics are formulated.

https://www.lkti.lt/uploads/images/Doktorantura/DISERTACIJOS/DP_Summary_Dissertation.pdf