Zeitgeist Nostalgia

On populism, work and the 'good life'

By: Alessandro Gandini

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Paperback | 15 November 2020

At a Glance

Paperback
136 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
14.1 x 21.5 x 1.5

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'From Trump's backward-looking promise to "make America great again" to the hipster's fondness for a pre-industrial age of craft, nostalgia saturates our world. Gandini's book is a remarkable and insightful guide to this phenomenon, laying out the deep roots of its origins and setting out the contours of its limits. ' Nick Srnicek, co-author of Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work

We live an age of nostalgia, incarnated by populist fantasies of “taking back control” and making nations “great again.” In the long aftermath of the 2007-08 economic crisis, nostalgia has been established as the cultural zeitgeist of Western society. Populist Fantasies of nostalgia represent a cry for help against the demise of the societal model of the postwar era, based on stable employment and mass consumption.

The promise of an impossible return to the 'good life' of the 20th century, Gandini contends, particularly appeals to the older generations, who are incapable of making sense of the evolution of Western societies after decades of globalization and neoliberal policies. The younger generations, in the meantime, are instead trying to build a new 'good life' based on another form of return, this time to old practices of craft production and consumption.

About the Author

Alessandro Gandini is a senior researcher in Digital Sociology at the University of Milan, and he was previously a lecturer for Kings College, London. He has published books in English and Italian, including The Reputation Economy: Understanding Knowledge Work in Digital Society.

Industry Reviews

From Trump's backward-looking promise to make America great again to the hipster's fondness for a pre-industrial age of craft, nostalgia saturates our world. Gandini's book is a remarkable and insightful guide to this phenomenon, laying out the deep roots of its origins and setting out the contours of its limits.--Nick Srnicek, co-author of Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work

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