This book explores central scenes and conceptual elaborations of what historically has been called "the problem" or "the problematic." The chapters contextualize the (re-)arising of this notion within the history of power and knowledge since the late nineteenth century, leading up to today's neocybernetic fascination with control and generalized management ideas which form a constitutive part of the power/knowledge complex of environmentality. By way of considering modes of problematization as modes of inhabitation, the volume maps its current conceptual-political uses as well as onto-epistemological challenges. Thus, "problematization" is positioned as a critical concept.

From Beyoncé’s Lemonade to The Force Awakens to the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot, the entertainment industry seems to be embracing the power of women like never before. But with more feminist content comes more feminist criticism—and it feels as if there’s always something to complain about. Dianna E. Anderson’s incisive Problematic takes on the stereotype of the perpetually dissatisfied feminist. Too often feminist criticism has come to mean seeing only the bad elements of women-centric pop culture and never the good. Anderson suggests that our insistence on feminist ideological purity leads to shallow criticism and ultimately hurts the movement. Instead, she proposes new, more nuanced forms of feminist thought for today’s culture, illustrated by examples from across the spectrum of popular music, movies, and TV, including Lena Dunham, Nicki Minaj, and even One Direction. While grounding her inquiry in pop culture media and topics, Anderson draws on concepts of feminist theory to show how we can push for continued cultural change while still acknowledging the important feminist work being done in the pop culture sphere today.

The notion of »the problematic« has changed its meaning within the history of power and knowledge since the early 20th century, leading up to today's performative, neocybernetic fascination with generalized management ideas and technocratic models of science. This book explores central scenes, conceptual elaborations, and practical affiliations of what historically has been called »the problem« or »the problematic«. By way of considering modes of problematization as modes of inhabitation, intervention, and transformation the contributions map its current conceptual-political uses as well as onto-epistemological challenges. Thus, »problematization« is positioned as a critical concept that links, often in intricate ways, several currents from speculative philosophy to the formation of interdisciplinary fields. The »problematic«, as it turns out, has been the source of change in philosophy and the sciences all along.

Understanding and minimizing problematic relationships in the workplace are goals shared by those who work in and lead organizations as well as those who study organizations. This volume explores troublesome behaviors and patterns that shape relationships (e.g., hostility, bullying, incivility, and ostracism), presents insights gained from in-depth work on contexts and frameworks, and addresses the potential to restore these relationships to greater wellbeing. Written by leading experts on problematic relationships in the workplace, this volume combines scholarship with applications that will be valuable in any organization. The new contributions in this second volume of this title extend the first volume's work by exploring cutting-edge and emerging issues in the field.

Late in life, Foucault identified with &“the critical tradition of Kant,&” encouraging us to read both thinkers in new ways. Kant&’s &“Copernican&” strategy of grounding knowledge in the limits of human reason proved to stabilize political, social-scientific, and medical expertise as well as philosophical discourse. These inevitable limits were made concrete in historical structures such as the asylum, the prison, and the sexual or racial human body. Such institutions built upon and shaped the aesthetic judgment of those considered &“normal.&” Following Kant through all of Foucault&’s major works, this book shows how bodies functioned as &“problematic objects&” in which the limits of post-Enlightenment European power and discourse were imaginatively figured and unified. It suggests ways that readers in a neoliberal political order can detach from the imaginative schemes vested in their bodies and experiment normatively with their own security needs.