“Biophilic and Necrophilic Charisma”: New Article for the Political Theology Network

The Political Theology Network published my short article, “Biophilic and Necrophilic Charisma,” on August 29, 2026. In this article I discuss Erich Fromm’s notions of “biophilia” – the “true love of life,” and “necrophilia” – the “true love of death” or all that is inanimate. I bring these two categories in conversation with Max Weber’s conception of “charisma,” in an attempt to distinguish between those in leadership positions who are essentially in service to life, meaningful existence, eudaemonia, and those who are in pursuit of that which is devoid of life: wealth, power, status, and destructiveness. Doing so, we arrive at the concepts of “biophilic charisma” and “necrophilic charisma,” which can be utilized as a means to interrogate the political, social, cultural, and economic leaders of today.

I would like to thank Maor Levitin for giving me the opportunity to write this short piece as well as the Political Theology Network for publishing it. I was a pleasure working with both.

To read the article, follow the link: Biophilic and Necrophilic Charisma.

Read more: “Biophilic and Necrophilic Charisma”: New Article for the Political Theology Network

NOW AVAILABLE: Critical Perspectives Vol. 2, no. 1

Critical Perspectives, Vol. 2, no. 1, is now available. It features articles by Joseph Alayna & Krikor Ankeshian, Seyed Javad Miri, Ghasem Pourhasan & Zahra Haji Shahkaram, Mehdi Shariati, and me. There are also book reviews by Dmitry Shlapentokh and me. Critical Perspectives is the official journal of the Institute for Critical Social Theory, which I founded and co-direct with my colleague, Seyed Javad Miri. If you are interested in contributing to Critical Perspectives, send your article to me, the Editor-in-Chief.

Critical Perspectives is published by Ekpyrosis Press.

If you’d like to purchase a copy of the latest edition, it is available through Lulu: Critical Perspectives Vol. 2, no. 1.

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