French Literature Reviews - 2026

A. Appadurai, After Colonialism: The Cultural Consequences of Globalization
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas

After Colonialism: The Cultural Consequences of Globalization
Arjun Appadurai
Françoise Bouillot (Translator)

Publication date: 17/06/2015 Publisher: Payot ISBN: 978-2-228-91344-7 EAN: 9782228913447 No. of pages: 336 p.

What is truly at stake in globalization? In this highly fruitful and innovative book, Indian-American anthropologist Arjun Appadurai describes a cultural phenomenon that has ushered us into a postcolonial era—an era in which the imagination becomes a social force while the nation-state is violently challenged, and where relations between Western and non-Western cultures are profoundly reshaped.

How can we conceptualize post-colonialism? And how do we think after colonialism? These two questions are unavoidable today. To be sure, inequalities have not disappeared, and forms of exploitation sometimes exhibit unprecedented sophistication. But is it enough to cling to the traditional categories that have allowed Western thought to theorize the relentless domination of the West over the rest of the world?

Arjun Appadurai, an anthropologist specializing in globalization, is a professor at New York University.

Arjun Appadurai is a pioneering figure in globalization studies and postcolonial theory, fields that emerged in the late twentieth century to analyze the shifting dynamics of a decolonized, interconnected world. In this work, translated into French for Payot, he challenges traditional Eurocentric frameworks that view global relations solely through the lens of Western dominance. Instead, Appadurai introduces a nuanced understanding of cultural flows, emphasizing how local cultures actively appropriate global influences. Central to his argument is the concept of the imagination, which he redefines not as mere fantasy, but as a collective, everyday social practice that drives modern agency.

This book helps readers address crucial questions about the decline of the nation-state and the rise of transnational cultural identities. By examining how media and migration reshape modern subjectivities, the text provides essential tools for understanding contemporary global conflicts and cultural hybridity. It is an invaluable resource for students and scholars of anthropology, sociology, and postcolonial studies, as well as anyone interested in the complex cultural mechanisms that define our globalized existence. Through this translation, French-speaking audiences gain deeper access to a foundational thinker whose insights remain vital for navigating the twenty-first century.