The Politics of Exclusion: Giorgio Agamben's Concept of Bare Life and Its Political Implications

This article critically examines Giorgio Agamben’s concept of “bare life” (zoē) as it intersects with modern political theory, biopolitics, and the mechanics of sovereignty. Drawing from Agamben’s foundational work Homo Sacer (1998) and engaging with contemporary scholarly critiques, this paper explores the distinction Agamben makes between bare life and political life (bios). It emphasizes how this duality shapes the relationship between law, life, and exclusion in both historical and contemporary contexts. The article integrates critical responses from scholars such as Katia Genel (2006), James Gordon Finlayson (2010), and Dotan Leshem (2014) and highlights the ongoing debates surrounding Agamben’s interpretation of Aristotle and his extension of the concept of biopower. By analyzing Agamben’s reinterpretation of sovereignty, the state of exception, and the concept of the camp, this paper aims to deepen our understanding of how bare life serves as both a theoretical tool for critiquing modern governance and a reflection of the precariousness of human existence in a globalized world. Through this analysis, I consider the implications of bare life for contemporary political thought and focus on the possibility of post-sovereign politics and the reappropriation of life beyond legal and institutional frameworks.