On the Ownership of the Means of Training

This article argues that asceticism—understood in the etymological sense of “training”—can productively be incorporated into analyses of politics. It is of particular use in thinking through questions of inequality and domination. I first theorize askesis as dynamogenic , that is, productive of (political and ethical) capacities. Using case studies of Ancient Athens and twentieth century India, I then analyze askesis as a tool for producing and resisting domination, and suggest the political importance of taking control of “the means of training.” I conclude with reflections on the significance of this framework for understanding neoliberal ethics and rising fascist tendencies

Asceticism · Control (management · Economics · Epistemology · Geography · Inequality · Management · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Resistance (ecology · Social science · Sociology · Theology · Training (meteorology · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Law · Philosophy · Political Philosophy and Ethics · Religion and Society Interactions