Affection and Dividuation

Abstract

In order to counter the monolithic understanding of “affect,“ coined by Brian Massumi in a specific reading of Gilles Deleuze’s concept, I want to unfold a more epistemologically demanding understanding of affective processes through a historical recon- sideration of the philosophically differentiated term “affection,“ meaning “doing with“ or “doing by“ in its literal sense. In Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology it is conceived as a self-contracting temporal process able to catalyze and synthesize interactions and inter-passivities between different entities. Because of its inevitable participation in and with others, I want to highlight its “dividual“ character. “Dividual“ is a term coined by Deleuze for the aesthetics of film and music, which, due to their temporal character, cannot be identified as individual, undivided expressions. Extending on this, I consider dividual affections as stimuli and participants of bio- and socio(techno)logical processes where they can be intentionally reinforced for political aims. Finally I present aesthetic-political affections in a (post)colonial perspective, with regard to Achille Mbembe’s concept of “Afropolitanism“ as to different art works of “African“ artists.