Professor Chetan Bhatt explores the rise of identitarian thinking in politics and academia, examining the social forces behind its spread in Western societies.
This talk discusses the naturalisation of identitarian thinking across the political spectrum and in academic life. It considers the social institutional forces that have enabled its proliferation in many Western societies.
Identity politics across much of the political left, alongside ethnonationalism, racism and civilisational discourse on much of the right, are expressions of a broader identitarian logic. They are also closely linked to intensifying political polarisation.
The talk also reflects on the influence of queer, decolonial, allegedly indigenous and anti-secular approaches in academic life. It argues that identitarianism offers impoverished conceptions of modern personhood and severely constrains the possibilities for emancipatory politics.
Professor Chetan Bhatt is the Anthony Giddens Professor of Social Theory at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
