Uncertain Times

Jacques Rancière is a leading French philosopher and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Paris-St. Denis. He is the author of many books on politics and aesthetics including Hatred of Democracy, The Emancipated Spectator, The Politics of Literature and The Edges of Fiction.

‘One of our most original radical philosophers explores why the post-Cold War consensus anticipating global liberal democracy unfolded its opposite. Critically interrogating idioms of populism, secularism, class struggle, democracy, and more, this timely and brilliant collection tracks the domination in consensus itself, placing all bets for an emancipatory, egalitarian future on uprisings that break it.’Wendy Brown, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton

• PrefacePart One. The violence of consensusChapter One. The new racism: a passion from aboveChapter Two. A modest proposal to help the victimsChapter Three. An elusive populismChapter Four. Unravelling the confusions serving the dominant orderChapter Five. On freedom of expressionChapter Six. The Hatred of EqualityChapter Seven. Fools and sages. Reflections on the end of the Trump presidencyChapter Eight. A golden opportunity? Reflections in the time of lockdown Part Two. Moments of democracyChapter Nine. The pandemic and inequalityChapter Ten. Interpreting the event 68: politics, philosophy, sociologyChapter Eleven. OccupationChapter Twelve. Nuit Debout: Desire for Community or Egalitarian Invention?Chapter Thirteen. The virtues of the inexplicable. On the Gilets JaunesChapter Fourteen. Beyond the hatred of democracyChapter Fifteen. Speech at the assembly of railway workers Notes