Expulsions: Brutality and Complexity in the Global Economy

Saskia Sassen examines the mechanisms behind global displacement and dispossession in the contemporary world. Her analysis spans financial markets, environmental degradation, land acquisition, and human migration. The book presents case studies from diverse regions to demonstrate how complex economic systems lead to expulsions of people and resources from social and ecological orders. Through data and field research, Sassen traces the connections between seemingly disparate phenomena like subprime mortgages, land grabs in Africa, and environmental destruction. The work moves beyond conventional narratives of inequality to identify new patterns of expulsion that characterize our current age. Sassen argues that traditional metrics and vocabulary are insufficient to capture these emergent dynamics. This study of systemic edges and expulsions reveals the often invisible ways that advanced capitalism transforms territories, economies and human lives. The book challenges readers to consider how institutional systems and economic logics create new forms of brutality beneath the surface of global progress.

Readers appreciate Sassen's research depth and global scope in examining economic displacement. Many note her effective use of data and case studies to demonstrate connections between financial systems and social upheaval. Reviewers highlight her analysis of complex systems and their real-world impacts. Criticism focuses on dense academic language and repetitive arguments. Multiple readers mention the book becomes circular and could have been shorter. Some found the theoretical framework difficult to follow without an economics background. "Goes too far into abstraction when concrete examples would work better" - Goodreads review "Important ideas buried in unnecessarily complex prose" - Amazon review Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (167 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (28 ratings) Google Books: 4/5 (11 ratings) Common themes in positive reviews: - Original research - Global perspective - Clear data visualization - Strong systemic analysis Common criticisms: - Academic jargon - Repetitive sections - Dense theoretical passages - Limited solutions offered

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🌍 Saskia Sassen coined the influential term "global city" in 1991, which fundamentally changed how we understand modern urban centers and their role in the world economy. 📊 The book demonstrates how traditional metrics of prosperity (like GDP) can mask severe displacements, showing how even "growing" economies can experience massive population expulsions. 🏢 Sassen reveals that in the US housing crisis of 2007-2008, over 30 million people were expelled from their homes, with similar patterns occurring in Spain and several other European countries. 🌱 The research shows how environmental degradation acts as a form of expulsion, with over 67 million hectares of land in Africa being acquired by foreign investors between 2006 and 2012. 🎓 The author was raised in five languages and has been awarded multiple honorary doctorates, bringing a uniquely global perspective to her analysis of economic displacement and migration.