French Literature Reviews - 2026
A. Appadurai, The Condition of Global Man
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas
The Condition of Global Man
Arjun Appadurai
Françoise Bouillot (Translator)
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/10/13 PUBLISHER: Payot ISBN: 978-2-228-90985-3 EAN: 9782228909853 FORMAT: Paperback NUMBER OF PAGES: 421
Culture, violence, finance, poverty, and the place of hope in a risk society are the main themes of this new book by the great Indian anthropologist. Does the ubiquity of risk statistics allow us to better withstand, or even master, the uncertainties of life? How can some of the most destitute in today's vast megacities, despite the extreme inequality that characterizes their environment, achieve equity, recognition, and autonomy? And what meaning does violence take on in a hyperconnected, globalized world, where everyone is increasingly linked to one another?
Arjun Appadurai, an anthropologist specializing in today's globalized world, is a professor at New York University. He is the author of Modernity at Large: Cultural Dimensions of Globalization and Fear of Small Numbers: An Essay on the Geography of Anger, both published by Éditions Payot.
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An article about this book can be read on nonfiction.fr:
"Aspirations and the Politics of Hope," by C. Ruby.
And on laviedesidees.fr:
Arjun Appadurai is a prominent figure in the anthropology of globalization, known for analyzing how global cultural flows shape local realities. This volume continues the intellectual trajectory of his influential earlier works, such as Modernity at Large and Fear of Small Numbers. Here, he engages with the concept of the risk society, examining how modern financial systems and statistical models of risk impact human agency. By focusing on the lives of the urban poor in global megacities, Appadurai shifts the anthropological gaze toward the future, exploring how marginalized groups cultivate hope and strive for socio-economic equity.
The book addresses critical questions surrounding the social dimensions of globalization, particularly how violence and inequality manifest in hyperconnected urban environments. It helps readers understand the capacity of disadvantaged populations to claim autonomy and recognition despite systemic neglect. This work is highly relevant for students and scholars of anthropology, sociology, and global studies, as well as anyone interested in postcolonial theory and modern urban development. By framing hope not as a passive emotion but as an active political tool, Appadurai offers a vital framework for analyzing contemporary social movements and global struggles for justice.