Archipelago

by Édouard Glissant (Primary Contributor), Hans Ulrich Obrist

Hans Ulrich Obrist met the Martinique-born philosopher, poet, and public intellectual Édouard Glissant in 1999; the encounter influenced the direction of Obrist's work for years to come. As one of today's most prolific producers of culture, Obrist has left an indelible mark-and Glissant through him. In 2021, Obrist edited, reworked, and arranged their conversations in their entirety for the first time and for a broad public audience. THE ARCHIPELAGO CONVERSATIONS is the result-enlightening us, as only Glissant can, as to how we might form an interdependent Earth in the 21st Century. It is a ready-to-hand tool, for building new politics, societies, and institutions-to be carried and shared.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2021

About the author

Édouard Glissant was a French writer, poet, philosopher, and literary critic from Martinique. He is widely recognised as one of the most influential figures in Caribbean thought and cultural commentary.

Reviews

[nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

READING VLOG

DEATH BE TO GLOBALIZATION.

ALL HAIL CREOLIZATION.

DEATH BE TO ENGLISH.

MAY ART LOVE AND LIVE

VIBRANTLY IN PRECEEDING

CENTURIES AND CENTURIES

THAT ROLL OVER IN FIELDS

OF CHILDLIKE DREAMS AND WONDER.

*a book i can easily pick up again and read, front to back. ideas that live and breathe, fresh as ever.

하진 asked me, "I didn't know people could still be philosophers."

I immediately thought, "Our generation killed them all with our dumbness."

Glissant was one of the last few brilliant thinkers. Zizek could never.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterpiece

- want to remember
- creolization and archipelagic thinking
- you can become so much more without losing yourself
- need to read Glissant
- museums as non-static spaces
- utopia as what’s missing in the world and a non-defined goal
- cities are cool and there’s a difference between old and organic cities in which the countryside bled into the city and it arose out of the countryside versus new cities like New York that are cities in and of themselves. They’re a different world and have their own attitudes.
- a lot of living in cities is based on the romanticized idea of the city

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of exchanges over the course of 12 years between Édouard Glissant and Hans Ulrich Obrist compiled/remixed into this charming little book that, as far as I can tell, gives a kind of snapshot of Glissant's view of utopia, courtesy of Emma Ramadan's translation. It centers around his solution/reaction to globalization: archipelagic thinking (think of the world as a kind of chain of islands linked and interacting in ways that foster and celebrate difference without "losing or diluting the sense of self")---a continual process of change through exchanges that work against oblivion. Glissant was a philosopher, a writer, and though this is my first time reading him, I'd say, a tireless optimist. From projects that dealt with slavery's textual/written origins (The Code Noir) and protests, to his address to Obama (The Unassailable Beauty of the World), he seems steeped in creolization, but what comes across contagiously in his responses to Obrist's concise statements/questions is an overall sense of hope, possibility, and love of humanity.

[Felipe Beirigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKO DEMAIS. O GLISSANT TÁ EM 3050 JÁ.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow loved but also this Hans guy is sort of annoying (the book talks about how power is the opposite of utopia but then Hans was most powerful man in the art word via this one magazine rating thing for two years)

Loooove the convo on globalization “I can change through exchanging with others, without losing or diluting my sense of self”

Geneses - legitimate owner

Trembling thinking vs systems (why is trembling thinking dif than chaos??)

Loved how it focused on newness and less linearity of americas

US is salad bowl not melting pot - unity privileges elite… Martinique Brazil etc are creole ie melting pot

Change to stay the same…

“Tropical landscape is entangled”

[s · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️sensational and accessible read! ❤️

‘I believe that poetry is the only thing able to connect the concert of this world to the fantasy of the world. The world is the highest object of poetry its mirror.’

[Kareem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Archipelago is a seminal work in postcolonial theory and cultural studies. It offers a unique perspective on the Caribbean region and its complex history, exploring themes of identity, culture, and the interconnectedness of all things.

The title Archipelago is a metaphor for the Caribbean region, which is composed of numerous islands. Glissant argues that this fragmented geography reflects the region's complex and diverse history, as well as its ongoing struggles for independence and self-determination. As in Sun of Consciousness, Glissant emphasizes the concept of relationality. He argues that the Caribbean islands are not isolated entities but rather are interconnected and interdependent. The region's history is shaped by the interactions between its various cultures, as well as its relationship with Europe and the Americas.

Glissant also examines the history of resistance and resilience in the Caribbean. He explores the region's struggles against colonialism, slavery, and neo-colonialism, as well as its ongoing efforts to build a more just and equitable society. Glissant's writing is characterized by its lyrical beauty and its evocative language. He uses vivid imagery and metaphor to convey complex ideas and emotions. Archipelago draws on a wide range of disciplines, including history, anthropology, literature, and philosophy. This interdisciplinary approach allows Glissant to offer a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the Caribbean region.

Archipelago is a groundbreaking work that has had a profound impact on postcolonial theory and cultural studies. Glissant's exploration of the Caribbean region offers a valuable perspective on the complexities of identity, culture, and history. His ideas about relationality, creolity, and resistance continue to be relevant and influential today.

[Pier-Luc Nadeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book that inspires me to write about it's content while relating it to other fields of interest. The concepts of creolization and tremblent thinking are difficult to incorporate within society without a large disruption as was indicated towards the end but I believe would be strongly beneficial, especially as technology and social media evolves.

[David Macpherson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting concept of archepelgo as a metaphor for globalization. I don't know if I completely got it but it is interesting. The conversation between the two seemed to meander but it was a nice excursion to ideas that are new to me.

[Richard Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good points here.

[Estela Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Que delicioso ler a conversa de dois amigos que se amam e se admiram tanto e gostam tanto de pensar juntos. Uma das melhores leituras do ano.

[mimoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

thinking of the black shoals

[Margo Montes de Oca · Rating 5 out of 5]

on the other hand this little book filled me with joy and optimism about people and the future. glissant is the philosopher of the age and obrist writes so beautifully about curation and asks such radiant questions. friendship rules; change is hard but is also the point of everything; love wins; solidarity forever

[Wazowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very important book. Full of alpha

Merged review:

Greatest book ever written