CSLP co-director Vivek Venkatesh, along with Nelson Varas-Diaz, co-edits "The Ethics of Extremity: On Seeing, Hearing and Feeling Each Other," a new book from Lexington Press. Inspired by Eduardo Galeano's vision of utopia, the book explores the hollowness beneath the facade of a narcissistic utopia and questions where solace can be found in a world marked by overwhelming extremes. It contends that our relentless pursuit of progress blinds us to the unintended, harsh realities we create, resulting in a dichotomy of joy for some and unbearable hardships for others.
As the world grapples with escalating extremities, the book emphasizes the urgency of confronting and understanding this pervasive darkness. The editors and authors advocate for a collective awakening, asserting that the survival of our species depends on acknowledging and addressing the unnoticed extremities embedded in every aspect of our lives. CSLP's Brad Nelson contributes a chapter on Cervantes, examining the ethics of reading early and post-modern femicidal spectacles, while Veronica Mockler, CSLP's Artist-in-Residence, explores ‘the rare, raw, Republican Irish’ in her chapter, "Listening to Bobby Lavery."
The book will be released in late 2024.