by Tariq Ali, Cholsu Chong (translation)
Korean title: Kunbonjuuiui Chungdol - Americophiliawa Occidentalismul Nomo

size: 223*152mm; 518 pages. publisher: Tosochulpan Mito, 2003.


About this book

The inviolability of the American mainland, breached on 11 September 2001 for the first time since 1812, led to extravagant proclamations by the pundits. It was a sudden menace confronting the twenty-first century, an event of unprecedented dimensions, a new world-historical turning point.

Tariq Ali challenges these assumptions, arguing instead that what we have experienced is the return of History in a horrific form, with religious symbols playing a part on both side: 'Allah's revenge,' 'God is on Our Side,' 'God Bless America.' The 'war against terror' is a clash of fundamentalisms, religious versus imperial. Each is marked by time-honoured features - a shameless use of disproportional military power by one and a carefully targeted fanaticism by its Other. The two forces are hardly equal. One is a product of despair, the other is an empire, whose ability to go to war is a chilling reminder of its place in the world. Contemporary politics is conducted and presented in the elitist style of intelligence agencies: disinformation, false information, exaggeration of enemy strength and capability, explanation of a TV image with a brazen lie and censorship. The aim is to delude and disarm the citizenry. Everything is either ever-simplified or reduced to a wearisome incomprehensibility.

This wide-ranging book blends history, literature, politics and autobiography to challenge the conformist culture of our times. Ali argues that many of the values proclaimed by the Enlightenment retain their relevance, while portrayals of the American Empire as a new emancipatory project are fatally misguided.

About the author

Tariq Ali is a writer and film-maker. He has written over a dozen books on world history and politics, five novels and scripts for both stage and screen. He is an editor of the New Left Review and lives in London.


This book is written in Korean only.

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