A key concept in the philosophy of
Deleuze and Guatarri, and especially elaborated in their Anti-Oedipus (1984) and A
Thousand Plateaus (1987).
Their philosophy depends on a particular lexicon, including, in addition to the current term, rhizome, flows, nomadism, strata and assemblages.
The concluding section of A
Thousand Plateaus comprises a brief summation of some of these terms. Here
'assemblages' are described as always 'basically territorial' composed of
different contrary aspects:
In the first instance they are both
non-discursive bodies and discursive utterances ('content and expression'); in the second, they are defined by their
constitution as 'territories' and by a counter 'deterritorializing' interior
movement that agitates for change.
Animal, social and political assemblages
are therefore seen as dynamic combinations of reterritorializing forces that
seek stability and the 'lines of flight', creative energy or DESIRE, that 'cut
across' or deterritorialize a given assemblage and 'carry it away'.
The 'Conclusion' of A Thousand Plateaus further distinguishes in abstract fashion
between 'relative' and 'absolute' types of
deterritorialization.
The first takes place in the actual world
and can take a 'negative' form when the lines of flight are blocked, or
'positive' when the lines of flight escape the forces of repressive
reterritorialization.
'Absolute' deterritorialization refers to
a deeper movement in the 'virtual' order of things, acting on the 'molecular'
rather than 'molar' plane of existence.
'Deterritorialisation is absolute,' write
Deleuze and Guattari, 'when... it brings about the creation of a new earth'.
These more profound, qualitative
transformations depend on a relative deterritorialization coming to a point of
connection with other deterritorializations in other fields to produce a new
natural, social or political 'assemblage'.
This does not produce a new majority
society or culture but installs a continuing deterritorialization that
generalizes a 'creative process of becoming different or divergence from the
majority'.
This process is central to Deleuze and
Guattari's conception of revolutionary politics.
No comments:
Post a Comment