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criticism

Criticism as a role-playing game?

LITERATURE: The informal contexts where one could try and fail without having to stand up for every careless word have shrunk. In Eirik Vassenden's 229-page book about the critic, there are no fewer than 317 question marks. We also ask: Do literary scholars necessarily have any advantage when it comes to human knowledge, life experience or social understanding?

The impossible place

Normality: Mark GE Kelly examines how norms affect important parts of life and our understanding of normality – with regard to sexuality, orientation, body image, identity, illness, death, individualism, hedonism, racism and white privilege.

An internationalism that should not be nationalistic

populism: Antonio Gramsci would have united self-righteousness and internationalism. MODERN TIMES talks to philosopher Diego Fusaro in connection with a new Norwegian release.

The discomfort of breathing

Our disappointment on social media only stimulates the pursuit of ever more refined manipulation techniques. Detoxification is not the answer, writes Geert Lovink.

Towards the horizons of humanity

The gesture of the participating documentary genre where the camera is given to the other is just a new way of installing and confirming dominance, says Pooja Rangan's critique of documentary "humanitarian impetus". 

The sweat of the work

The book Move Fast and Break Things draws sharp criticism of Google, Facebook and Amazon, but at the same time is partly romantic and uninhibited.

An epic friendship

A new exhibition at the Akademie der Künste in Berlin shows the complicated relationship between the thinker Walter Benjamin and the poet Bertolt Brecht.

A film critic looks back

An emotional involvement in the film industry makes Lismen's book about Norwegian film stand out.

A furious ride on capitalism

Bernard Maris' reading of Michel Houellebecq's work is an essential and well-founded critique of capitalism.