Readers of my work will know that I think Ivan Illich was, like Henry Corbin, one of the great religious thinkers of the 20th century. And also like Corbin, Illich's work is relatively little known. I have tried in some of my writing to suggest some common themes the two shared - in spite of profound differences in their personalities and their theologies. Illich's thought is provocative and deeply important. Perhaps the best introductions to his work are the two books of interviews with David Cayley:
Ivan Illich in Conversation (1992) and
The Rivers North of the Future (2005). A superb collection of essays is
The Challenges of Ivan Illich (2002), edited by Hoinacki & Mitcham. Also essential is the
Thinking After Illich website. And I have just discovered the new Journal devoted to Illich's life and work (providing free online access) which is a treasure trove of information and cogent thinking:
"
The International Journal of Illich Studies is an open access, interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed publication dedicated to engaging the thought and writing of Ivan Illich and his circle. Articles/Reviews/Reflections are invited on any subject that intersects with the wide range of IIlich’s ideas, or that represent a version of the social critique for which he became famous on matters such as modern developmentalism, industrialized "progress," institutional bureaucratization, the heuristic role played by historical consciousness, the moral life, and/or the privatization/publicization of the lay commons."
Thanks for this. Another useful resource is the online collection of Illich's writings maintained by the artist David Tinapple:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.davidtinapple.com/illich/
This includes many of his later texts which have yet to appear in print.
Corbin is new to me, but I shall look out for him.
As a devoted reader of Illich, I would be glad to learn more about Corbin and how he relates to Illich.
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