Mari Ruti Books

Mari Ruti is a Distinguished Professor of critical theory and of gender and sexuality studies. She is an interdisciplinary scholar working at the intersection of contemporary theory, continental philosophy, psychoanalytic theory, cultural studies, trauma theory, posthumanist ethics, and gender and sexuality studies. Ruti explores the complex relationships between these fields, offering new perspectives on our understanding of the human experience. Her work is characterized by its interdisciplinary approach and its deep engagement with pressing contemporary issues.

The Summons of Love
180 pages
7 hours of reading
We are conditioned to think love's purpose is to heal wounds, make us happy, and give our lives meaning. When the opposite occurs, and love causes us to feel fractured, disenchanted, and full of existential turmoil, our suffering is compounded by the sense that love has failed us, or that we've failed to experience what so many others effortlessly enjoy.In this eloquently argued, psychologically-informed book, Mari Ruti portrays love as a much more complex, multifaceted phenomenon prompting us to access the depths of human existence. Love's ruptures are as important as its triumph.
Penis Envy and Other Bad Feelings
312 pages
11 hours of reading
Mari Ruti combines theoretical reflection, cultural critique, feminist politics, and personal anecdotes to analyze the prevalence of bad feelings in everyday life. Proceeding from a playful engagement with Freud's idea of penis envy, Ruti fans out to a broader consideration of neoliberal pragmatism and a trenchant critique of gender relations.

The Summons of Love

Penis Envy and Other Bad Feelings