Christopher Powell: What is Radical Relationism? (ISRR)

Christopher Powell, Associate Professor of Sociology at Toronto Metropolitan University, presents and facilitates discussion at the September 22, 2023 ISRR meeting on what exactly radical relationism is. Topics and questions presented and discussed in relation to radical relationism include: (1) What is Ontology? Theories of Ontology: one type of structure among others (Donati); a reality sui generis emergent from individual action (Archer; dialectics/generative antagonisms (Marx); networks (Simmel, White); relative positions (Bourdieu); topological connectivities (Tarde?); trans-actions (Dewey and Bentley); and affirmative connections (various). (2) What is Epistemology? Questions of Epistemology: situated knowledges; but how do we validate knowledge? objectively? intersubjectively? reflexively?; is relationism relativist?; Politics/Ethics; are ontology and ethics co-determinative or contingent?; if “radical” means “going to the root”, what roots do we center?; one root or many?; and what transformations?