The Crisis of Culture

Olivier Roy's The Crisis of Culture explores the fragmentation of identity politics and the need for restoring social bonds in contemporary society.

In The Crisis of Culture, Olivier Roy presents a compelling examination of the complexities surrounding identity politics in our contemporary world. He poses critical questions about whether we are witnessing the emergence of a new culture that is global, online, and individualistic, or if we are facing a crisis within our existing cultural frameworks. This analysis delves into how explicit, normative systems are increasingly replacing implicit social values, thereby reshaping our understanding of culture itself.

Roy traces the roots of today's cultural fractures back to the extension of individual political and sexual freedoms that began in the 1960s. He argues that the youth culture of the twentieth century marked a significant shift, detaching traditional political protests from class, region, or ethnicity. Instead, this new identity was constructed on a foundation of rejection rather than the inheritance of a shared history or values. As this youth culture has evolved under the influences of neoliberalism and the internet, it has become increasingly individualized and artificial.

The book highlights the consequences of a fragmented culture where shared values are absent. In such an environment, identities are often shaped by personal traits, leading to the formation of affinity-based subcultures that seek safe spaces. Roy critiques both left- and right-wing discourses on 'identity' for failing to address the underlying crisis of community and culture. He ultimately argues for the necessity of restoring social bonds at the grassroots level to foster a more cohesive society.