Papers by Costas Perezous
Unpublished (rejected for publication by various academic journals), 2012
[This paper has been submitted to various relevant academic journals but was rejected each time. ... more [This paper has been submitted to various relevant academic journals but was rejected each time. I am uploading it in case anyone finds it intresting or useful]
This paper presents a critique of one of the aspects of Koselleck’s history of the concept of crisis, namely its supposed theological origins/connotations. After discussing some other histories of the concept, namely Masur’s, Starn’s and Shank’s, Koselleck’s thesis is evaluated. His writings on the history of crisis are taken to be exemplary of the general practice of conceptual history and are reproduced in more recent articles dealing with crisis. Koselleck argues that the modern experience of time and history is a secularization of Christian eschatology. The concept of crisis is included in this secularizing process and is linked to the theological idea of the Last Judgment and of the apocalyptic foreshortening of time that precedes the second coming of Christ. Koselleck’s arguments in favor of this theological genealogy of the concept and of its modern meanings are then presented and criticized. My critique focuses on the way Koselleck establishes or rather fails to establish the link between theology and modern crisis, arguing that there is no textual support for his assertions. By way of conclusion, the idea that crisis is linked to tragedy is put forward as a hypothesis that needs to be further investigated, an idea hinted at by some authors but not explored by Koselleck or any other theorist thus far.
Τόποι: Αντίδωρα στον Παντελή Μπασάκο, 2019
Η «κρίση» αποτελεί μία από τις κυρίαρχες ερμηνείες της ιστορίας, της κοινωνίας και του εαυτού, έχ... more Η «κρίση» αποτελεί μία από τις κυρίαρχες ερμηνείες της ιστορίας, της κοινωνίας και του εαυτού, έχοντας αποκτήσει σταθερή ρηματική παρουσία στα περισσότερα πεδία της διανοητικής και κοινωνικής ζωής. Από τη μαζική κουλτούρα μέχρι σχολαστικούς ακαδημαϊκούς ορισμούς, η «κρίση» καθίσταται σλόγκαν. Σε σύγκριση με άλλους διαδεδομένους όρους του πολιτικού και κοινωνικού λόγου, διακρίνεται από μια ιδιάζουσα αοριστία. Σπανίως ανυψώνεται σε αντικείμενο πολιτικού ή φιλοσοφικού στοχασμού, δεν χαρακτηρίζει κάποια συγκεκριμένη ιδεολογία, βιβλία δεν γράφονται για να τεκμηριώσουν τον περήφανο βηματισμό της προς το μέλλον ή τον μοιραίο μαρασμό της. Συστατικό στοιχείο του καθημερινού λόγου, απογοητεύει συχνά με την αμφισημία της όλους εκείνους που θέλουν να παρουσιάσουν επιχειρήματα με τη σαφήνεια και την ακρίβεια που θεωρούν ότι αρμόζει.
Ελληνική Επιθεώρηση Πολιτικής Επιστήμης, 2015
Σε αυτό το άρθρο επιχειρούμε να παρακολουθήσουμε την πορεία της «κρίσης» από τον αρχαιοελληνικό λ... more Σε αυτό το άρθρο επιχειρούμε να παρακολουθήσουμε την πορεία της «κρίσης» από τον αρχαιοελληνικό λόγο στις εθνικές γλώσσες της νεωτερικότητας. Η ιπποκρατική ιατρική προσέδωσε τεχνικό νόημα στη λέξη, το οποίο παγιώθηκε με τη συμβολή του Γαληνού. Το πέρασμα από τα ελληνικά στα λατινικά λαμβάνει χώρα στον ιατρικό λόγο της εποχής που την καθιστά δόγμα καθόλη τη διάρκεια του μεσαίωνα. Στις αρχές της νεωτερικότητας συντελείται η απο-ιατρικοποίηση της «κρίσης», η οποία χαρακτηρίζει το γενικότερο λόγο της εποχής, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της ιατρικής. Τότε είναι που η «κρίση» αποκτά τη γνώριμη σημασία της κρίσιμης κατάστασης. Χρησιμοποιώντας παραδείγματα προσπαθούμε να δείξουμε ότι το αργότερο μέχρι τα μέσα του 18ου αιώνα η «κρίση» αποτελούσε πια αναγνωρισμένο όρο του πολιτικού λόγου.
A thorough review of the existing literature on risk theory suggests that there is a dearth of qu... more A thorough review of the existing literature on risk theory suggests that there is a dearth of quantitative data to support the current theories. The research presented herein was undertaken to quantify the role of the Greek printed media in representing and thus molding the average citizen‟s conception of the dangers posed to society by unsafe foods specifically as related to the Bird Flu Crisis. In particular, representations of the Bird Flu Crisis in nine daily newspapers over a one-month period including October and November of 2005 and divided into five subperiods were statistically analyzed using SPSS. The data support Beck‟s position on a modern risk society regarding our need to rely on physicians/scientists for enlightenment (Beck, 1992) and on bureaucratic organizations to ensure our safety even when those have been proved dubious in the past (Beck, 1996, 2000), resulting in an umbrella of contradictions creating hysteria, panic and a need to place blame (Beck, 1992, 2000) that gradually turns to indifference (Beck, 1992). Specifically, Physicians/Scientists were by far the leading protagonists across the one month time period. The middle of the one month period witnessed peaks in average daily number of articles, in other indicators of proximity of danger, in expression of feelings of panic and distrust, in references to E.U. organizations and the Greek government and in negative contexts implying responsibility/blame of those in authority. These were accompanied by a dearth of representation of citizens‟ groups and/or individuals‟ reactions in the media, as well as a marked absence of feelings of guilt. Contradictory contexts of State of Preparedness and Potential Disaster Beyond Our Control were the two most common, each accounting for more than half of all articles published and, although Threat/Fear/Distress was expressed in approximately three of every four articles studies, Reassurance/Appeasement/Composure was expressed in approximately one third of articles as well. In conclusion, the initial results of statistical analysis of representation of the Bird Flu Crisis in nine Greek newspapers over a one month period from its initial appearance as a topic to its near disappearance support Beck‟s position on a modern risk society and all that it entails and, in particular, as it applies to dietary risk. Part II of the statistical analyses
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of the data extends the current results through investigation of correlations among various variables/variable groups, or within article relationships.
Drafts by Costas Perezous
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Papers by Costas Perezous
This paper presents a critique of one of the aspects of Koselleck’s history of the concept of crisis, namely its supposed theological origins/connotations. After discussing some other histories of the concept, namely Masur’s, Starn’s and Shank’s, Koselleck’s thesis is evaluated. His writings on the history of crisis are taken to be exemplary of the general practice of conceptual history and are reproduced in more recent articles dealing with crisis. Koselleck argues that the modern experience of time and history is a secularization of Christian eschatology. The concept of crisis is included in this secularizing process and is linked to the theological idea of the Last Judgment and of the apocalyptic foreshortening of time that precedes the second coming of Christ. Koselleck’s arguments in favor of this theological genealogy of the concept and of its modern meanings are then presented and criticized. My critique focuses on the way Koselleck establishes or rather fails to establish the link between theology and modern crisis, arguing that there is no textual support for his assertions. By way of conclusion, the idea that crisis is linked to tragedy is put forward as a hypothesis that needs to be further investigated, an idea hinted at by some authors but not explored by Koselleck or any other theorist thus far.
2
of the data extends the current results through investigation of correlations among various variables/variable groups, or within article relationships.
Drafts by Costas Perezous
This paper presents a critique of one of the aspects of Koselleck’s history of the concept of crisis, namely its supposed theological origins/connotations. After discussing some other histories of the concept, namely Masur’s, Starn’s and Shank’s, Koselleck’s thesis is evaluated. His writings on the history of crisis are taken to be exemplary of the general practice of conceptual history and are reproduced in more recent articles dealing with crisis. Koselleck argues that the modern experience of time and history is a secularization of Christian eschatology. The concept of crisis is included in this secularizing process and is linked to the theological idea of the Last Judgment and of the apocalyptic foreshortening of time that precedes the second coming of Christ. Koselleck’s arguments in favor of this theological genealogy of the concept and of its modern meanings are then presented and criticized. My critique focuses on the way Koselleck establishes or rather fails to establish the link between theology and modern crisis, arguing that there is no textual support for his assertions. By way of conclusion, the idea that crisis is linked to tragedy is put forward as a hypothesis that needs to be further investigated, an idea hinted at by some authors but not explored by Koselleck or any other theorist thus far.
2
of the data extends the current results through investigation of correlations among various variables/variable groups, or within article relationships.