The Betrayal of Substance

The Betrayal of Substance is a careful elucidation of The Phenomenology of Spirit which pays equal attention to its blind spots. Rawlinson argues, persuasively, that despite his enduring emphasis on life, Hegel betrays his phenomenological project in untethering consciousness from its immediate sensuous existence. Responding to these betrayals, she outlines a new conception of the political inspired by Hegel but based on creativity and the material aspects of public life. -- Elaine Miller, author of <i>Head Cases: Julia Kristeva on Philosophy and Art in Depressed Times</i> The Betrayal of Substance provides one of the most thorough and careful readings of Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit to date. Rawlinson sees the limitations of what Hegel is doing while appreciating the magnitude of his achievement. This book's project is distinct, and its voice is singular. -- Todd McGowan, author of <i>Emancipation After Hegel: Achieving a Contradictory Revolution</i> Mary Rawlinson's The Betrayal of Substance elaborates a sophisticated and thought-provoking Hegelian critique of Hegel himself. With decades of experience deftly interpreting Hegel's philosophy, Rawlinson powerfully argues for a phenomenology of death, literature, and sexual difference as singular instances resisting uptake into any purported encyclopedic System of Absolute Knowledge. -- Adrian Johnston, author of <i>A New German Idealism: Hegel, Zizek, and Dialectical Materialism</i> Mary Rawlinson has written an elegant, nuanced analysis of Hegel's phenomenology that addresses its constitutive limits. She undertakes a Hegelian critique of Hegel, revealing his blindspots-his understanding of sexual difference, the finite individual, and the arts in general-while affirming his insights regarding the play of difference in human history. -- Elizabeth Grosz, author of <i>The Incorporeal: Ontology, Ethics, and the Limits of Materialism</i>