Written by: Stefania Tarasut on November 1, 2013

Contemporary Social Theory: An Introduction

By: Anthony Elliott

I have to admit that I was frustrated with the first chapter of this book, and I think that my frustration kind of overshadowed the rest of the reading. I want to start off by saying that I might actually be wrong in my thinking, so I’m willing to get some push back on what I’m about to say.

First, I was frustrated with the assumption that Natalie is a reflection of what the world looks like today. “She was raised in the USA. Yet her family immigrated to America from Taiwan when she was an infant. She now lives in London, but works regularly out of Paris. And her boyfriend is based in Helsinki.” (P3) Though I agree that millions and millions of people leave their native lands each year for better opportunities, a story like Natalie’s is the exception. She is the minority… and if she is the lens through which we do social theory then we have a really skewed image of what’s going on around us.

Reading through this book and reflecting on my own life I realize that I too am the exception. Most Romanian immigrants in America live very differently than I do. They do not have the opportunities that I do and I’m humbled to know that I am not a correct representation of my people. I am the exception… and I’m incredibly uncomfortable with that. Most immigrant women live lives that I can’t wrap my mind around. Looking at their lives and listening to their stories make me feel unworthy to “untie the thong of their sandals.”

Second, I was bothered by what Giorgio Agamben calls ‘bare life.’ (P3) “The notion of bare life may well be apt to describing the plight of illegal immigrant workers scrambling to earn a few dollars, or displaced people living on the margins.” (P3) Most immigrants are not illegal, but most of them live in poverty. The reason this struck a chord with me is because the immigrant community is divided in two, the rich and the poor. The rich look at the poor with such judgment saying to themselves “we made something of ourselves, why can’t you?” while the poor look at the rich and say “you have soo much why can’t you help us… your own people.” I’m frustrated, because sometimes I see the same attitude in me.

I might need to pick up this book again in a few weeks when I’m less sensitive!

About the Author

Stefania Tarasut