THE STATES OF THE EARTH by Mohamed Amer Meziane | Verso Books
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 Published On Apr 9, 2024

If modernity is the Anthropocene, and modernity is the product of secularization, then what is the connection between secularization and the climate crisis?

Far from a defense of religion, THE STATES OF THE EARTH argues that phenomena such as evangelism and political Islam are best understood as products of empire and secularization. In a world where material technology was considered divine, religious and secular forces both tried to achieve Heaven on Earth by destroying Earth itself.

The States of the Earth by Mohamed Amer Meziane is out now! https://www.versobooks.com/products/3...

"Meziane, in his recently published book, argues that Europe, and France specifically, give themselves credit for having modernized during the 19th century. But this was the period of France's imperial adventures in the Muslim world, which - not coincidentally, he powerfully argues — racialized the concept of "religiosity," rendering it "uncivilized."" – The New York Times

"An extremely important and erudite book. Extraordinary in many parts, it will be discussed for a long time to come and is destined to generate new debates. It will be difficult from now on to think without some of the main concepts it invents, such as imperiality, which disrupts the way we write the history of modern political regimes. It is impressive in its erudition, in its knowledge - it is the result of a considerable amount of work - and also in its impetus, strength and commitment." – Étienne Balibar

0:00:00 Intro and Review from Souleymane Bachir Diagne
0:01:15 On the "Secularocene"
0:07:06 Race and Orientalism in the Anthropocene
0:17:09 The racialization of Religion
0:28:44 On Imperiality
0:39:24 Could a return to religion resolve climate change?
0:46:09 Climate Crisis as One Facet of a Multi-Layered Problem
0:47:45 About the Music
0:48:51 Reviews from Étienne Balibar and Talal Asad

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