Land And Freedom. A quest for autonomy versus the fantasy of liberation
Éditions La Lenteur, 2021, 15 x 21 cm , 224 p. NON-FICTION Essay, Philosophy, French
Western modernity has defined itself through its project of extending freedom to everyone, whereas earlier civilisations reserved it for a privileged minority. But at a time when inequalities are rising as rapidly as restrictive measures multiply, the obvious fiasco of this project leads one to question the underlying concept of freedom. This is what Aurélien Berlan does in this impactful essay. Under the ideal of emancipation as breaking free from nature, he discerns an old aristocratic aspiration to liberation: the desire to live a life free from the daily burden of arduous tasks. Thus social injustice and ecological disaster appear inextricably linked, as freeing oneself from the necessities of life entails the exploitation of both people and nature.
Aurélien Berlan is a philosopher-gardener who divides his time between translation work, precarious teaching positions and subsistence activities. He contributed to publications by the Groupe Marcuse (De la misère humaine en milieu publicitaire, La Découverte, 2004; La Liberté dans le coma, La Lenteur, 2013) and published a notable essay on German sociologists’ critique of industrial modernity (La Fabrique des derniers hommes, La Découverte, 2012). This book has been published in Spanish (Virus), German (Mandelbaum), and an Italian edition is currently being negotiated.
Original Title
Terre et liberté. La quête d’autonomie contre le fantasme de délivrance
Rights sold: German (Mandelbaum), Spanish (Virus)
Book available in German and Spanish
Territory of representation
Worldwide
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