Speculative Communities: Living with Uncertainty in a Financialized World

Aris Komporozos-Athanasiou's book Speculative Communities explores how speculation has moved beyond financial markets to shape social and political lives. It shows how even our methods of building community have shifted to the speculative realm, as social media platforms enable and amplify our volatile wagers. Komporozos-Athanasiou argues that finance has become the model for society writ large, with virtual marketplaces, new social media, and dating apps bringing finances opaque infrastructures into the most intimate realms of our lives.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 17 January 2022
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

In his groundbreaking book, Speculative Communities, Aris Komporozos-Athanasiou delves into the profound ways in which speculation has transcended the realm of financial markets to exert a significant influence on the very fabric of our social and political existence. As ordinary individuals make extraordinary choices, such as the election of a populist demagogue in the United States or the decision to leave the European Union in the United Kingdom, they are embarking on a journey away from traditional and time-tested governance practices, towards the alluring promise of a new and uncertain future. This insightful work demonstrates how even our approaches to building community have been transformed by the speculative realm, as social media platforms empower and amplify our volatile wagers.

According to Komporozos-Athanasiou, the act of speculation has evolved to mean more than just making financial investments; it now encompasses the act of connecting, endorsing the unknown, and taking risks as a means of social survival. He challenges us to grapple with the question of how increased uncertainty can lead to its full-throated embrace rather than dissent. Through his comprehensive analysis, Speculative Communities reveals how finance has become the model for society writ large. Virtual marketplaces, new social media, and dating apps bring the opaque infrastructures of finance into the most intimate realms of our lives, fostering a novel type of speculative imagination across the economy, culture, and society.

Komporozos-Athanasiou's book offers a thought-provoking exploration of the evolving relationship between speculation, governance, and society. It sheds light on the ways in which individuals and communities are navigating a world characterized by uncertainty and ambiguity, and provides valuable insights into the potential consequences of this shift. As we continue to witness the impact of speculation on our lives, it is essential to engage with this book and consider its implications for our future.

Weight: 312g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226816029