DOCSLIB.ORG

SELVES and SHELVES. CONSUMER SOCIETY and NATIONAL IDENTITY in FRANCE. DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requi

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
SELVES and SHELVES. CONSUMER SOCIETY and NATIONAL IDENTITY in FRANCE. DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requi SELVES AND SHELVES. CONSUMER SOCIETY AND NATIONAL IDENTITY IN FRANCE. DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Ioana Laura Hetel, M.A. ***** The Ohio State University 2008 Dissertation Committee: Approved by Professor Karlis Racevskis, Adviser __________________________ Professor Danielle Marx-Scouras, Adviser __________________________ Professor Jennifer Willging Advisors French and Italian Graduate Program Professor Fritz Graf Copyright by Ioana Laura Hetel 2008 ABSTRACT Since the late nineteenth century, France has been confronted with the rapid instauration of consumerism and its society has been shaped by the tension between the political ideal of everyone under one roof and the consumerist ideal of everything under one roof. This study investigates representations of modern shopping sites (department stores and large format retailers such as supermarkets and hypermarkets) and elucidates how representations of retail stores in literature and other textual media have been constructed based on the opposing polarities of lieux de mémoire, intentionally defined as places of identity, of social relations, and of tangible history, and non-lieux, described as unconcerned with identity, non-relational, and ahistorical. This dichotomy, I claim, is the product of a fundamental conflict between a nostalgic view of a nationalistic past and an unavoidable adoption of the modern. Focusing on the diachronic dimension of French retail and building on McNair’s wheel of retailing, I theorize the model of the cultural wheel of retailing in order to illuminate how and why the same type of store is constructed as either a site of memory or a non-place at different time periods. Then, shifting my attention to the post-1945 period, I analyze the emergence and spread of large format retailers by successively ii focusing on each of the five meaning-making loci of culture: production, consumption, regulation, identity, and representation. With these insights in mind, I move to the investigation of six postwar French novels (Christiane Rochefort’s Les Stances à Sophie, Georges Perec’s Les Choses, Simone de Beauvoir’s Les Belles images, J.M.G. Le Clézio’s Les Géants, Frédéric Beigbeder’s 99 Francs, and Jean-Christophe Rufin’s Globalia) and identify the presence in them of a chronotope of dystopic consumption, a sub-surface combinational scheme that manifests itself through the presence of six synergetic themes: shopping, the happiness myth, advertising, good consumers and bad citizens, Americanization, and books and reading as antidotes to consumerism. Since large format retailers are both objects of fiction and sites for commercializing literary texts, I also investigate the problematic journey of literature from the shelves of the bookstore to the shelves of the grandes surfaces. iii To Iulian who changed my life iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation holds far more than the culmination of years of study. Its pages also reflect relationships with several inspiring scholars, colleagues, and friends who, from the inception of my project, have helped to shape it. I was fortunate to have two extraordinary advisers who are enviable models of scholarship and provided me with indispensable professional guidance and moral sustenance. With his impressive expertise in modernism and postmodernism, Karlis Racevskis introduced me to essential theoretical perspectives on twentieth century culture. I have learned so much from him, not only about scholarship, but also about how to be a genuine scholar. Danielle Marx-Scouras’ passion for popular culture served as an example of innovative research. I also appreciated her gentle way of reminding me to remember the big picture, in both scholarship and life. The other two members of my dissertation committee, Jennifer Willging from the Department of French and Italian and Fritz Graf from the Department of Latin and Greek, were rigorous, insightful, and generous readers of my dissertation. I could not have asked for a more supportive and encouraging committee. I am grateful to Françoise Lionnet from the Department of French and Francophone Studies at University of California at Los Angeles and Daniel Verdier from v the Department of Political Science at Ohio State University who reviewed and supported this project from its very initial stage. Many accomplished scholars from Ohio State University offered inspiration at critical moments in my graduate career: Mihaela Marin and Dennis Minahen from the Department of French and Italian, Marcus Kurtz, John Mueller, and Randall Schweller from the Department of Political Science, Paul Poast from the Department of Economics, and Mona Makhija and Terry Paul from the Fisher College of Business. Their courses clarified the complexities of modern intellectual history and broadened my perspective in so many respects. This project would have not been possible without two grants for conducting research abroad: the Coca-Cola Critical Difference for Women Research Grant on Gender & Gender Studies and the C. Michael Riley International Academic Fund. Also, the Graduate School Presidential Fellowship provided me with the time and financial support necessary to develop and cement my ideas during the last year of studies. In addition, I have received generous financial support from the Department of French and Italian and the Council of Graduate Students in the form of several conference travel grants. The feedback I received during this national and international exposure was instrumental in gradually shaping my arguments. While working as a study abroad resident director in France, I benefited enormously from my stay at the Audencia School of Management in Nantes, whose faculty and staff did so much to welcome me into their intellectual and social life. In particular, I wish to thank David Read from Audencia and Julia Shaw from Leeds University who offered me books, sound advice, and lots of good ideas for the marketing vi dimension of my research. The four summers I spent in Nantes were critical in providing resources and networks for my graduate work. I am therefore grateful to Grace Johnson from the Office of International Affairs and Melinda McDonald from the Fisher College of Business for entrusting me with their European Union business program year after year. I am particularly thankful for friendships stretching back many years or dating to very recent times. Adela, Adriana, Akindjo, Anca, Carmen, Delia, Gina and Cosmin, Ionuţ, Isabella, Linda, Mary, Marylaura, Omar, and Uliana have been valued interlocutors who always helped me laugh, dream, and put things into perspective. In particular, I extend my heartfelt thanks to Nicoleta Bazgan for reading chapters of my work and offering valuable advice. In the last stages of this project, she was always one (long) phone call away and motivated me to race to the finish. Together, the two of us were undergrads, grads, alumni, teaching assistants, and study abroad resident directors at OSU – all of this at the same time – and, in the process, shared some amazing life- changing experiences. A special loving thank you goes to my brother Mihai for being there for me, always and unconditionally, and to my parents Doina and Mihai. Finally, I could not have written this dissertation without the endless support and positive attitude of my husband Iulian who gave me time and space to grow in new directions when my entire life was revolving around this process. vii VITA 2001 – 2007 . Combined undergraduate / graduate program The Ohio State University B.A., Summa cum laude Majors: Political Science World Business & Economy M.A., French Ph.D Candidate, French 2001 – 2007 . Teaching Assistant The Ohio State University 2007 – 2008 . Presidential Fellow The Ohio State University FIELDS OF STUDY Major field: French Studies Twentieth century French literature and culture Consumer society, popular culture, and advertising Modernism and postmodernism viii TABLE OF CONTENTS P a g e Abstract. ii Dedication. iv Acknowledgments . v Vita . viii List of Figures . xi 1. Introduction. What Shelves for the French Selves? . 1 2. Lieux de mémoire and Non-lieux. The Cultural Wheel of Retailing. 16 2.1 Lieux de mémoire and National Patrimony. 20 2.2 Non-lieux and Perceptions of Modernity. 25 2.3 McNair’s Wheel of Retailing. 28 2.4 The Cultural Wheel of Retailing. A Theoretical Model. 31 2.5 The Cultural Wheel of Retailing in Action. A Diachronic Look. 33 ix 3. The Grandes surfaces in the Circuit of Culture. 60 3.1 The Circuit of Culture and Its Five Meaning-Making Loci. 62 3.2 Production. 64 3.3 Regulation. 74 3.4 Consumption. 81 3.5 Identity. 85 3.6 Representation. .89 4. Consumed Selves, Dystopic Shelves. The Chronotope of Dystopic Consumption. 90 4.1 The Chronotope as Literary Tool. 92 4.2 The Six Dimensions of the Chronotope of Dystopic Consumption. 93 4.2.1 Shopping. 97 4.2.2 The Happiness Myth. 115 4.2.3 Advertising. .123 4.2.4 Good Consumers, Bad Citizens. .134 4.2.5 Americanization. .147 4.2.6 Books and Reading. 151 5. Conclusion. 166 Bibliography. 169 x LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1.1 Philippe Cognée, Supermarchés. 2 1.2 Philippe Cognée, Bibliothèques. 3 1.3 Barbara Kruger, Untitled. 4 1.4 Selves and Shelves: National Identity and Consumerism. 5 1.5 Literary Schools and Consumer Behavior Research. 11 2.1 The Wheel of Retailing. 29 2.2 Perceptions of new versus old types of store. 32 2.3 Edouard Toudouse, Illustration for La Maison du Chat-qui-Pelote. 49 2.4 Panoramic view of Bon Marché. 49 2.5 Advertising Campaign, Galeries Lafayette. 54 2.6 French Retailing Segmentation. 55 3.1 The Circuit of Culture. .63 3.2 Logo, Carrefour . 89 4.1 Shopping: Pleasure versus Necessity. .106 4.2 The Wundt Curve. 122 4.3 Esprix bas. Brigade Anti-Pub. 137 xi 4.4 Automated book dispenser, Paris. 163 4.5 Ad. Espace Culture, Leclerc.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Romanian Political Science Review Vol. XXI, No. 1 2021
    Romanian Political Science Review vol. XXI, no. 1 2021 The end of the Cold War, and the extinction of communism both as an ideology and a practice of government, not only have made possible an unparalleled experiment in building a democratic order in Central and Eastern Europe, but have opened up a most extraordinary intellectual opportunity: to understand, compare and eventually appraise what had previously been neither understandable nor comparable. Studia Politica. Romanian Political Science Review was established in the realization that the problems and concerns of both new and old democracies are beginning to converge. The journal fosters the work of the first generations of Romanian political scientists permeated by a sense of critical engagement with European and American intellectual and political traditions that inspired and explained the modern notions of democracy, pluralism, political liberty, individual freedom, and civil rights. Believing that ideas do matter, the Editors share a common commitment as intellectuals and scholars to try to shed light on the major political problems facing Romania, a country that has recently undergone unprecedented political and social changes. They think of Studia Politica. Romanian Political Science Review as a challenge and a mandate to be involved in scholarly issues of fundamental importance, related not only to the democratization of Romanian polity and politics, to the “great transformation” that is taking place in Central and Eastern Europe, but also to the make-over of the assumptions and prospects of their discipline. They hope to be joined in by those scholars in other countries who feel that the demise of communism calls for a new political science able to reassess the very foundations of democratic ideals and procedures.
    [Show full text]
  • Dictée 02 Octobre 2017 Le Réveil De La Maison. G Duhamel
    Dictée du 02 octobre 2017 LE REVEIL DE LA MAISON G. DUHAMEL (Les plaisirs et les jeux) Une mouche, encore somno lent e, traverse la chambre à l’aveuglette, se heurte au mur, bourdonne avec rage et se rendort. Du fond de l’infini, un bruit régulier comme celui d’une horloge, plus marqué de secon de en secon de : un pas sur la route, le pas de l’ouvrier matinal ; des coups sourds, p esants et, par- dessous, le crépitement du gravier meur tri . Le pas approche ; dans un coin de la chambre, un objet attentif vibre délicatement, au rythme du marcheur. Puis le pas s’évanouit, comme s’il avait tourné de l’autre côté du monde. Qu’est-ce donc ? La nuit à son tour semble fissur ée , bless ée . Trois images bleues ém ergent des ténèbres. Les fenêtres ! l’aube ! Si pâle qu’elle ne pourra jamais venir à bout de tout ce noir… Un petit oiseau se met à chanter, tout seul, dans le marronnier. Il est au sommet des ramures. Sa chanson, tout ébo uriffé e, tombe en éte ndant les ailes. L’homme écoute, écoute. Son corps se rassemble autour de lui ; comme l’équipe des t âc herons à l’appel du mét ayer . Présent ! Présent ! Et, tout à coup, venue des entrailles de la maison, une petite voix humaine, nette, mélodieuse, dansante, prononce des mots que l’on ne comprend pas. Une autre voix lui répond, aussi faible, aussi pure, aussi joyeuse. Les deux voix s’e mm êlent, s’enrouent, s’enlacent, s’élancent.
    [Show full text]
  • In This Issue in Toronto and Jewelry Deco Pavilion
    F A L L 2 0 1 3 Major Art Deco Retrospective Opens in Paris at the Palais de Chaillot… page 11 The Carlu Gatsby’s Fashions Denver 1926 Pittsburgh IN THIS ISSUE in Toronto and Jewelry Deco Pavilion IN THIS ISSUE FALL 2013 FEATURE ARTICLES “Degenerate” Ceramics Revisited By Rolf Achilles . 7 Outside the Museum Doors By Linda Levendusky . 10. Prepare to be Dazzled: Major Art Deco Retrospective Opens in Paris . 11. Art Moderne in Toronto: The Carlu on the Tenth Anniversary of Its Restoration By Scott Weir . .14 Fashions and Jewels of the Jazz Age Sparkle in Gatsby Film By Annette Bochenek . .17 Denver Deco By David Wharton . 20 An Unlikely Art Deco Debut: The Pittsburgh Pavilion at the 1926 Philadelphia Sesquicentennial International Exposition By Dawn R. Reid . 24 A Look Inside… The Art Deco Poster . 27 The Architecture of Barry Byrne: Taking the Prairie School to Europe . 29 REGULAR FEATURES President’s Message . .3 CADS Recap . 4. Deco Preservation . .6 Deco Spotlight . .8 Fall 2013 1 Custom Fine Jewelry and Adaptation of Historic Designs A percentage of all sales will benefit CADS. Mention this ad! Best Friends Elevating Deco Diamonds & Gems Demilune Stacker CADS Member Karla Lewis, GG, AJP, (GIA) Zig Zag Deco By Appointment 29 East Madison, Chicago u [email protected] 312-269-9999 u Mobile: 312-953-1644 bestfriendsdiamonds.com Engagement Rings u Diamond Jewelry u South Sea Cultured Pearl Jewelry and Strands u Custom Designs 2 Chicago Art Deco Society Magazine CADS Board of Directors Joseph Loundy President Amy Keller Vice President PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Susanne Petersson Secretary Mary Miller Treasurer Ruth Dearborn Ann Marie Del Monico Steve Hickson Conrad Miczko Dear CADS Members, Kevin Palmer Since I last wrote to you in April, there have been several important personnel changes at CADS .
    [Show full text]
  • 2018-2019 Annual Report
    2018-2019 annuAl report THE MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS CITED AS MODEL EXAMPLE IN THE OECD AND ICOM’S INTERNATIONAL GUIDE “The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Council of Museums (ICOM) recognized the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts’ pioneering role in their guide launched in December 2018, Culture and Local Development: Maximising the Impact. Guide for Local Governments, Communities and Museums. This remarkable validation from two major international economic and cultural institutions will enable us to disseminate our message ever farther, so as to strengthen the role of culture and expand the definition of trailblazing museums, like the MMFA, that are fostering greater inclusion and wellness.” – Nathalie Bondil The Museum is cited in 5 of the 16 international case studies in the guide: a remarkable nod to our institution’s actions that stem from a humanist, innovative and inclusive vision. Below are a few excerpts from the publication that is available online at www.oedc.org: 1. Partnering for urban regeneration 3. Partnership for education: EducArt 5. Promoting inclusiveness, health and Regarding the MMFA’s involvement in creating the digital platform, Quebec, Canada well-being: A Manifesto for a Humanist Zone Éducation-Culture in 2016, in collaboration Launched in 2017 by the MMFA, EducArt gives Fine Arts Museum with Concordia University and the Ville de Montreal: secondary school teachers across the province access “As part of the Manifesto for a Humanist Fine “The project … has its roots in a common vision [of to an interdisciplinary approach to teaching the Arts Museum written by Nathalie Bondil,1 the the three institutions] to improve Montreal’s role as educational curriculum, based on the Museum’s MMFA has put forth a strong vision of the social a city of knowledge and culture.
    [Show full text]
  • Connections Between Gilles Lipovetsky's Hypermodern Times and Post-Soviet Russian Cinema James M
    Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal Volume 36 Article 2 January 2009 "Brother," Enjoy Your Hypermodernity! Connections between Gilles Lipovetsky's Hypermodern Times and Post-Soviet Russian Cinema James M. Brandon Hillsdale College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/ctamj Part of the Film and Media Studies Commons, and the Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies Commons Recommended Citation Brandon, J. (2009). "Brother," Enjoy Your Hypermodernity! Connections between Gilles Lipovetsky's Hypermodern Times and Post- Soviet Russian Cinema. Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal, 36, 7-22. This General Interest is brought to you for free and open access by Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works for Minnesota State University, Mankato. It has been accepted for inclusion in Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal by an authorized editor of Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works for Minnesota State University, Mankato. Brandon: "Brother," Enjoy Your Hypermodernity! Connections between Gilles CTAMJ Summer 2009 7 “Brother,” Enjoy your Hypermodernity! Connections between Gilles Lipovetsky’s Hypermodern Times and Post-Soviet Russian Cinema James M. Brandon Associate Professor [email protected] Department of Theatre and Speech Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI ABSTRACT In prominent French social philosopher Gilles Lipovetsky’s Hypermodern Times (2005), the author asserts that the world has entered the period of hypermodernity, a time where the primary concepts of modernity are taken to their extreme conclusions. The conditions Lipovetsky described were already manifesting in a number of post-Soviet Russian films. In the tradition of Slavoj Zizek’s Enjoy Your Symptom (1992), this essay utilizes a number of post-Soviet Russian films to explicate Lipovetsky’s philosophy, while also using Lipovetsky’s ideas to explicate the films.
    [Show full text]
  • Jean Baudrillard
    The Mirror of Production by Jean Baudrillard Translated with "Introduction" by Mark Poster TELOS PRESS • ST'. LOUIS Published originally as Le Miroir de la Production. English translation copyright © 1975 by Telos Press. All rights reserved. ISBN : 0- 914386-06-9 Library of Congress : 74- 82994 Manufactured in the United States of America. TABLE OF CONTENTS Translator's Introduction 1 Preface 17 Chapter I: The' Concept of Labor 21 . Critique of Use Value and Labor Power 22 The Concrete Aspect of Labor : The "Dialectic" of Qu ality and Qu antity 25 Man's Double "Generic" Face 30 Ethic of Labor ; Esthetic of Play 33 Marx and the Hieroglyph of Value 41 Epistemology I : In the Shadow of Marxist Concepts 47 The Critique of Political Economy Is Basically Completed 50 Chapter II: Marxist Anthropology 53 and the Domination of Nature The Moral Philosophy of the Enlightenment 56 Lycurgus and Castration 60 Judaeo-Christian Anti-Physis 63 Epistemology II : Structural Limits of the Marxist Critique 65 Chapter III: Historical Materialism 69 and Primitive Societies Structural Causality and the Primitives 70 Surplus and Anti-Production 74 Magic and Labor 81 Epistemology III: Materialism and Ethnocentrism 84 Chapter IV: On the Archaic and Feudal Mode 93 The Slave 93 The Artisan 96 Epistemology IV : Marxism and Miscomprehension 106 Chapter V: Marxism and the System of Political Economy Ill A Euclidean Geometry of His tory? Ill The Third Phase of Political Economy 119 Contradiction and Subversion : The Displacement of the Political 129 The Economic as Ideology and Simulation Model 14 7 Marxist Theory and the Workers' Movement: The Concept of Class 15 2 Revolution as Finality : History in Suspense 160 The Radicality of Utopia 163 TRANS LA TOR'S INTRODUCTION For some time now many of us have harbored the knowledge or at least the Euspicion that Marxism is an inadequate perspective for the critical analysis of advanced society.
    [Show full text]
  • Female Property Ownership and Status in Classical and Hellenistic Sparta
    Female Property Ownership and Status in Classical and Hellenistic Sparta Stephen Hodkinson University of Manchester 1. Introduction The image of the liberated Spartiate woman, exempt from (at least some of) the social and behavioral controls which circumscribed the lives of her counterparts in other Greek poleis, has excited or horrified the imagination of commentators both ancient and modern.1 This image of liberation has sometimes carried with it the idea that women in Sparta exercised an unaccustomed influence over both domestic and political affairs.2 The source of that influence is ascribed by certain ancient writers, such as Euripides (Andromache 147-53, 211) and Aristotle (Politics 1269b12-1270a34), to female control over significant amounts of property. The male-centered perspectives of ancient writers, along with the well-known phenomenon of the “Spartan mirage” (the compound of distorted reality and sheer imaginative fiction regarding the character of Spartan society which is reflected in our overwhelmingly non-Spartan sources) mean that we must treat ancient images of women with caution. Nevertheless, ancient perceptions of their position as significant holders of property have been affirmed in recent modern studies.3 The issue at the heart of my paper is to what extent female property-holding really did translate into enhanced status and influence. In Sections 2-4 of this paper I shall approach this question from three main angles. What was the status of female possession of property, and what power did women have directly to manage and make use of their property? What impact did actual or potential ownership of property by Spartiate women have upon their status and influence? And what role did female property-ownership and status, as a collective phenomenon, play within the crisis of Spartiate society? First, however, in view of the inter-disciplinary audience of this volume, it is necessary to a give a brief outline of the historical context of my discussion.
    [Show full text]
  • Virtual Space Or Real Life?
    Today’s “the most sexy thing”: virtual space or real life? ALEXANDRA DZIUBA - Odessa National Polytechnic University (ONPU) ABSTRACT The issues of Reality and Simulation of Reality are highlighted in this article. The nature of Desire is also discussed as a fundamental in contemporary culture and media environments. Special attention has been paid to advertising, as a form of creating desire and simulations of reality which stimulate growing frustrations in society. Online space is also been viewed as a new trend in the simulation of life and a faked advertising reality. In the article I attempt to compare both of these "worlds" – simulated by culture and virtualised by media. KEYWORDS Reality, simulation, media, advertising, sex, desire. Introduction A key issue in contemporary media and cultural studies is the question of what is Reality. Throughout history, humans were trying to comprehend their own existence and validity based on the reality of their own body and on the reality of everyday life. After a while, the human body started to lose its status as a bastion of reality. It happened with the help of growing interests in different kinds of “virtual” worlds, as well as the expansion of media influence. So, with rapid cultural transformations of the present the problem of definition of reality perhaps becomes the most difficult question. In this article I would like to discuss the general issues of Reality and simulations, which prevail in our society. Also, issues about the nature of desire and simulations of desires are considered as one of the main topics of this work.
    [Show full text]
  • Qualitative Freedom
    Claus Dierksmeier Qualitative Freedom - Autonomy in Cosmopolitan Responsibility Translated by Richard Fincham Qualitative Freedom - Autonomy in Cosmopolitan Responsibility Claus Dierksmeier Qualitative Freedom - Autonomy in Cosmopolitan Responsibility Claus Dierksmeier Institute of Political Science University of Tübingen Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany Translated by Richard Fincham American University in Cairo New Cairo, Egypt Published in German by Published by Transcript Qualitative Freiheit – Selbstbestimmung in weltbürgerlicher Verantwortung, 2016. ISBN 978-3-030-04722-1 ISBN 978-3-030-04723-8 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04723-8 Library of Congress Control Number: 2018964905 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2019. This book is an open access publication. Open Access This book is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this book are included in the book’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the book’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
    [Show full text]
  • Masses, Turbo-Capitalism and Power in Jean Baudrillard's Social
    International Journal of Theology, Philosophy and Science No. 3, Year 2/2018 MASSES, TURBO-CAPITALISM AND POWER IN JEAN BAUDRILLARD’S SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ONTOTHEOLOGY PhD. Prof. Spiros MAKRIS Assistant Professor in Political Theory University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, GREECE Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT If postmodern Jean Baudrillard (1929-2007) could be defined as a theorist of power - to the extent that for some this is a contradiction by definition, although something very similar takes place in the case of Michel Foucault, he could be defined as a theorist of meta-power in the globalized era of turbo-capitalism. In his late texts (2005), which were published in 2010, the eminent French philosopher builds a provocative theory about power by using the classic concepts of domination and hegemony within the contemporary social, economic, political and ideological context of neoliberal globalization. In these papers, he analyzes in-depth the meta- power of hegemony in comparison with the power of domination. Actually, by signifying the critical passage of postwar capitalism from the phase of production to the phase of consumption, as Zygmunt Bauman does in his relevant work, Baudrillard formulates a meta-power theory as the equivalent of what he defines as turbo-capitalism. What is at stake is no longer the conventional issues of state sovereignty, Marx-inspired concept of alienation and Critical Theory-like negative dialectics but the crucial questions of hegemony, hostage and evilness. In short, Jean Baudrillard builds a new ontological and by extension disciplinary and theoretical field concerning global power, where the ‘Empire of Good’, or turbo-capitalism in his own terminology, is reborn in a totally catastrophic way (see simulation in the sense of a capitalist hypocrisy) either as an ‘Axis of Evil’ or as the ‘problem of terror’ (see simulacrum in the sense of a Lacanian stage of image within which turbo-capitalism represses, through a Freudian process of repelling, its unfamiliar self/i.e.
    [Show full text]
  • Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann 2 2
    GALERIES LAFAYETTE PARIS HAUSSMANN 2 2 GALERIES LAFAYETTE PARIS HAUSSMANN, A NEW “WORLD DEPARTMENT STORE” Galeries Lafayette Haussmann has been the beating heart of Paris since its creation in 1894. The 100‑year‑old department store and its famous Art Nouveau dome symbolise creative 1894 energy and the spirit of the times, welcoming over 2,000 brands Creation of « Aux Galeries Lafayette » from all over the world. by Théophile Bader This important and legendary “world department store” is both 1912 Inauguration of the dome a trendsetter and a benchmark, surprising and amazing French designed by Ferdinand Chanut and international visitors and striving above all to provide its clients with a place of knowledge sharing, influence and culture. No.1 european department store in therms of revenue Its visitors are inspired and transformed; served with an 37 million visitors every year array of choice, advised with care. At Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann, no‑one is a foreigner — everyone feels at home. 70,000 SQ.M. spread throughout over 2,000 brands and 25 restaurants 4 “COUPOLE”, AN ICONIC BUILDING AND THE BEATING HEART OF PARISIAN SHOPPING Fashion Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann is a trendsetter in fashion, offering clients a constantly renewed selection of French and international brands. Three floors are set aside for must‑have brands and designer labels. Beauty Below the dome, the 2,500‑sq.m. ground floor displays the finest beauty brands and products from skincare experts, as well as a wide range of exceptional and emerging designer perfumes. The Beauty Lab offers a beneficial approach to cosmetics by combining the best brands for natural and organic skincare products.
    [Show full text]
  • The Soldier's Death
    The Soldier’s Death 133 The Soldier’s Death: From Valmy to Verdun Ian Germani Introduction In 1975, André Corvisier published an article in the Revue Historique entitled simply “The Death of the Soldier since the End of the Middle Ages.”1 Corvisier acknowledged both the immensity of the topic and the need for an interdisciplinary approach to its study. The claims he made for his own contribution were modest: he had done no more than to establish an inventory of questions, accompanied by a few reflections. The article was more important than these claims suggest. Its insistence upon the need to situate military death in relation to the broader experience of death in western civilization made it an exemplar of what historians were just beginning to refer to as “the New Military History.” Furthermore, in its tripartite consideration of the soldier’s death – covering, broadly speaking, soldiers’ own attitudes toward death, the relationship between military death and mortality in general as well as cultural representations of the soldier’s death – the article identified and mapped out for further study several important dimensions of the topic. In particular, as cultural history has become increasingly important, Corvisier’s attention to military culture as well as to the representations of the soldier’s death in literature and art seems particularly advanced. Evidently, many other historians have since taken up Corvisier’s challenge to consider in greater depth cultural representations of the soldier’s death. The First World War, as a conflict marked by unprecedented military mortality, has inspired a number of important histories that address this theme.
    [Show full text]