The Great Regression

At the latest, since the effects of the financial crisis became clear and migration to the European Union began to grow, we have seen developments that many had thought were the phenomena of a distant age: the rise of nationalistic, in part anti-liberal parties like the Front National and the Alternative für Deutschland, the profound crisis of the EU, a coarsening of public discourse thanks to demagogues like Donald Trump, a growing distrust of the established media and the spread of xenophobic ideas... all of which are a reminder of dark times. Politicians are vilified as »traitors to the fatherland«, Muslims are under general suspicion and the internet is awash with the crudest of conspiracy theories.

In this collection, internationally renowned researchers and intellectuals examine the causes of this »Great Regression«, locate them in a historical context, introduce scenarios for the coming years and discuss strategies we can use to resist such developments.

With contributions from Arjun Appadurai, Zygmunt Bauman, Donatella della Porta, Nancy Fraser, Eva Illouz, Ivan Krastev, Bruno Latour, Paul Mason, Pankaj Mishra, Robert Misik, Oliver Nachtwey, César Rendueles, Wolfgang Streeck, David Van Reybrouck and Slavoj Žižek.

Further information about this project, videos, excerpts and discussions, on our homepage: www.thegreatregression.eu

»Here the spectrum of interpretative possibilities to the left of the political centre have been well sounded out.« Barbara Kuchler, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

»Where are we? This is a tough question to answer these days … And in this respect, the present volume has come at precisely the right time.« Walter Hollstein, Neue Zürcher Zeitung

»A collaborative book for a world in the process of sealing itself off.« Libération

» ...a topical and excellent anthology.« Caroline Fetscher, Der Tagesspiegel

»A book that demands to be discussed and debated ... « Gesine Reichstein, radio bremen

»This book is recommended reading for anyone who’d like to understand some of the driving forces behind the turn to Pegida, the AfD, Trump, Brexit, Le Pen, Orban, and Wilders.« literatourismus.net

»The Great Regression not only offers various analyses of the reasons for the success of populism, but numerous and distinct perspectives as well.« Hans-Martin Schönherr-Mann, Deutschlandfunk

»Those who engage with this book will be rewarded with many surprising points of view and undogmatic lines of thought.« ekz.bibliotheksservice 2017/20

»An international debate on the causes of this great regression as well as ways out and democratic alternatives can be an important contribution to a desperately needed change of course. Suhrkamp Verlag’s collection offers an initial…overview and abundant points of entry into the discussion.« Kulturbuchtipps