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Antebellum Posthuman is a thought-provoking and timely contribution to the recent explosion of work on the desirability of moving beyond the 'human' as analytic framework or political horizon. Ellis's consideration of Douglass, Thoreau, and Whitman uncovers posthumanism's Romantic unconscious, challenging the contemporary faith in political progressiveness of the posthuman turn. Arguing for a renewed engagement with matter, Antebellum Posthuman persuasively models a close critical attentiveness that does not assume in advance what the outcome of that engagement will be. -- Dana Luciano, Georgetown University

Antebellum Posthuman is a thought-provoking and timely contribution to the recent explosion of work on the desirability of moving beyond the 'human' as analytic framework or political horizon. Ellis's consideration of Douglass, Thoreau, and Whitman uncovers posthumanism's Romantic unconscious, challenging the contemporary faith in political progressiveness of the posthuman turn. Arguing for a renewed engagement with matter, Antebellum Posthuman persuasively models a close critical attentiveness that does not assume in advance what the outcome of that engagement will be. -- Dana Luciano, Georgetown University Antebellum Posthuman revisits classic works of the American nineteenth century, but finds original and compelling ways to understand their dialogue with contemporary critical and political demands.---Paul Downes, Nineteenth-Century Literature Can posthumanism develop an effective antiracist politics? This is the stirring question at the heart of Cristin Ellis's Antebellum Posthuman. Her exceptionally well-written and cogently argued book ultimately answers that it cannot. Intriguingly, Ellis offers her skepticism about the political potential of the posthumanist world view in the spirit of strengthening, rather than undercutting, posthumanism's reach... Above all, Antebellum Posthuman is beautifully written, both lyrical and commandingly precise. * African American Review * Antebellum Posthuman... speaks with special force to our own illiberal moment... Alternating between the aporias that structure theories of race and those that structure theories of materiality in the present moment, Ellis demonstrates that the two can and must speak to each other.---Christopher Breu, American Literature Clearly written, subtly argued, and offering a model of rigorous yet open and generous critique, Antebellum Posthuman explores antebellum antislavery literature's contestation not only of who ought to be included in humanity but also of the meaning of the human as such.---Jishnu Guha-Majumdar, Qui Parle

Antebellum Posthuman is a thought-provoking and timely contribution to the recent explosion of work on the desirability of moving beyond the 'human' as analytic framework or political horizon. Ellis's consideration of Douglass, Thoreau, and Whitman uncovers posthumanism's Romantic unconscious, challenging the contemporary faith in political progressiveness of the posthuman turn. Arguing for a renewed engagement with matter, Antebellum Posthuman persuasively models a close critical attentiveness that does not assume in advance what the outcome of that engagement will be.---Dana Luciano, Georgetown University Can posthumanism develop an effective antiracist politics? This is the stirring question at the heart of Cristin Ellis's Antebellum Posthuman. Her exceptionally well-written and cogently argued book ultimately answers that it cannot. Intriguingly, Ellis offers her skepticism about the political potential of the posthumanist world view in the spirit of strengthening, rather than undercutting, posthumanism's reach... Above all, Antebellum Posthuman is beautifully written, both lyrical and commandingly precise.-- African American Review Antebellum Posthuman... speaks with special force to our own illiberal moment... Alternating between the aporias that structure theories of race and those that structure theories of materiality in the present moment, Ellis demonstrates that the two can and must speak to each other.---Christopher Breu, American Literature Clearly written, subtly argued, and offering a model of rigorous yet open and generous critique, Antebellum Posthuman explores antebellum antislavery literature's contestation not only of who ought to be included in humanity but also of the meaning of the human as such.---Jishnu Guha-Majumdar, Qui Parle Antebellum Posthuman revisits classic works of the American nineteenth century, but finds original and compelling ways to understand their dialogue with contemporary critical and political demands.---Paul Downes, Nineteenth-Century Literature

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Cristin Ellis is Assistant Professor of English at the University of Mississippi.

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