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  • Identity

  • The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment
  • By: Francis Fukuyama
  • Narrated by: P. J. Ochlan
  • Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (55 ratings)

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Identity

By: Francis Fukuyama
Narrated by: P. J. Ochlan
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Publisher's Summary

The New York Times best-selling author of The Origins of Political Order offers a provocative examination of modern identity politics: its origins, its effects, and what it means for domestic and international affairs of state 

In 2014, Francis Fukuyama wrote that American institutions were in decay, as the state was progressively captured by powerful interest groups. Two years later, his predictions were borne out by the rise to power of a series of political outsiders whose economic nationalism and authoritarian tendencies threatened to destabilize the entire international order. These populist nationalists seek direct charismatic connection to “the people”, who are usually defined in narrow identity terms that offer an irresistible call to an in-group and exclude large parts of the population as a whole. 

Demand for recognition of one’s identity is a master concept that unifies much of what is going on in world politics today. The universal recognition on which liberal democracy is based has been increasingly challenged by narrower forms of recognition based on nation, religion, sect, race, ethnicity, or gender, which have resulted in anti-immigrant populism, the upsurge of politicized Islam, the fractious “identity liberalism” of college campuses, and the emergence of white nationalism. Populist nationalism, said to be rooted in economic motivation, actually springs from the demand for recognition and therefore cannot simply be satisfied by economic means. The demand for identity cannot be transcended; we must begin to shape identity in a way that supports rather than undermines democracy. 

Identity is an urgent and necessary book - a sharp warning that unless we forge a universal understanding of human dignity, we will doom ourselves to continuing conflict. 

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Francis Fukuyama (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Identity

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Opened my eyes to the topic

I'd been thinking a lot about the philosophical admonition to 'know thyself' when I stumbled on this book. It opened my eyes to the very practical needs of modern society at all levels. The book was read too fast to absorb it all in one sitting, so I've bought the Kindle version and will go back over various chapters. I think it would be best read one chapter per sitting. Well worth reading and studying.

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Content rich and thought-provoking

Fukuyama is a great communicator and his ideas about "thumos" are worth thinking about. He frames modern political issues and the rise of populism with a modern concept of identity rooted in Rousseau's thought. The author weaves a story that is both enticing and profound. The book is enjoyable and educational. I enjoyed the talk about the Syrian civil war's background and the Ukrainian Orange Revolution. This broad international perspective is something I find attractive in Fukuyama's thinking.

Finally, thinking a little more about dignity and recognition for others, what the "unseen" people of the world experience, and how that gives birth to identity politics is something modern society can and should do more of. I would have like to read more about Latin America but I overall, well worth a read.

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Good book, horrible narration

I really wanted to listen to this book but the narration is horrible. Gave up. Sounds like I am listening to a computer or some kind of automaton. Don't understand why Audible can't reliably get decent narration for its books.

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Helps to understand the 'why' of modern issues

This book does a great job of creating a common thread between issues that are intuitively connected but hard to articulate. It was dense at times, and has some assumed knowledge of history and philosophy, but still peices together the role of identity, particularly in transnational issues, in a compelling way.

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