Identity
Contemporary Identity Politics and the Struggle for Recognition
Published on 4. October 2018
978-1-78283-413-7 (ISBN)
Description
Currently in Bill Gates's bookbag and FT Books of 2018
Increasingly, the demands of identity direct the world's politics. Nation, religion, sect, race, ethnicity, gender: these categories have overtaken broader, inclusive ideas of who we are. We have built walls rather than bridges. The result: increasing in anti-immigrant sentiment, rioting on college campuses, and the return of open white supremacy to our politics.
In 2014, Francis Fukuyama wrote that American and global institutions were in a state of decay, as the state was captured by powerful interest groups. Two years later, his predictions were borne out by the rise to power of a series of political outsiders whose economic nationalism and authoritarian tendencies threatens to destabilise the entire international order. These populist nationalists seek direct charismatic connection to 'the people', who are usually defined in narrow identity terms that offer an irresistible call to an in-group and exclude large parts of the population as a whole.
Identity is an urgent and necessary book: a sharp warning that unless we forge a universal understanding of human dignity, we will doom ourselves to continual conflict.
Increasingly, the demands of identity direct the world's politics. Nation, religion, sect, race, ethnicity, gender: these categories have overtaken broader, inclusive ideas of who we are. We have built walls rather than bridges. The result: increasing in anti-immigrant sentiment, rioting on college campuses, and the return of open white supremacy to our politics.
In 2014, Francis Fukuyama wrote that American and global institutions were in a state of decay, as the state was captured by powerful interest groups. Two years later, his predictions were borne out by the rise to power of a series of political outsiders whose economic nationalism and authoritarian tendencies threatens to destabilise the entire international order. These populist nationalists seek direct charismatic connection to 'the people', who are usually defined in narrow identity terms that offer an irresistible call to an in-group and exclude large parts of the population as a whole.
Identity is an urgent and necessary book: a sharp warning that unless we forge a universal understanding of human dignity, we will doom ourselves to continual conflict.
Reviews / Votes
As wise as it is compact, travelling at great speed through difficult terrain to a sensible conclusion. -- Daniel Finkelstein * Times * As a primer on the big political shift of our times, and an explainer of how we got here, this is not a book to pass by -- Andrew Marr * Sunday Times * Sweeping and ambitious -- Nesrine Malik * Prospect * A useful primer on an important subject -- David Goodhart * Literary Review * Praise for Origins of Political Order:'Fukuyama remains as prominent as ever' * Financial Times * Praise for The Origins of Political Order:
It should be read by every democrat - and every dictator. -- Dominic Lawson Fukuyama writes clear prose and is a pleasure to read. * The Times *
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Reflowable
ISBN-13
978-1-78283-413-7 (9781782834137)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
09/2019
Profile Books Ltd
€15.50
Available immediately
Book
10/2018
Profile Books Ltd
€41.03
Article exhausted; check different version
Person
Francis Fukuyama is a Professor at Stanford University's Institute for International Studies. He has previously taught at Johns Hopkins University and at George Mason University. Fukuyama was a researcher at the RAND Corporation and served as the Deputy Director for the State Department's Policy planning staff. He is the author of Political Order and Political Decay, The Origins of Political Order, The Great Disruption, Our Posthuman Future and State Building. He lives with his wife in California.
