Economies of Abandonment: Social Belonging and Endurance in Late Liberalism

Economies of Abandonment examines social belonging and endurance within late liberal governance through ethnographic studies of Indigenous communities in Australia and queer activist groups in the United States. Through these case studies, Elizabeth Povinelli investigates how marginalized groups persist despite systemic pressures. The book draws on extensive fieldwork to document practices of survival and resistance in the face of structural inequality and state power. Povinelli analyzes how certain populations become marked for abandonment within market economies and liberal democratic systems. The text moves between theoretical frameworks and concrete examples, examining concepts like social death, endurance, and what Povinelli terms "economies of abandonment." Her research spans multiple decades of engagement with communities in Australia's Northern Territory. This work contributes to discussions about biopolitics, sovereignty, and the relationship between power and vulnerability in contemporary liberal democracies. The analysis raises questions about forms of life that persist despite being deemed disposable by dominant political and economic systems.

Readers note this is a dense theoretical text that requires significant background knowledge in critical theory and anthropology. Many find it offers valuable insights on power, sovereignty and alternate forms of social existence under late liberalism. Positives from reviews: - Provides concrete examples through case studies - Strong analysis of indigenous Australian communities - Links theoretical concepts to real-world conditions - Builds on Foucault's biopower framework Common criticisms: - Writing style is unnecessarily complex and jargon-heavy - Arguments could be made more accessible - Some sections are repetitive - Theoretical framework can be difficult to follow Ratings: Goodreads: 4.13/5 (40 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (6 reviews) One reader on Goodreads notes: "Important ideas but sometimes gets lost in its own theoretical density." An Amazon reviewer states: "Excellent scholarship but requires patience and careful reading to fully grasp the concepts."

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🔹 Elizabeth Povinelli conducted over 30 years of anthropological fieldwork with Indigenous people in Australia, providing deep insights into how marginalized communities navigate late liberal governance. 🔹 The book introduces the concept of "economies of abandonment" to describe how certain populations are left to wither under modern capitalism while maintaining just enough care to prevent outright extinction. 🔹 Povinelli's theoretical framework draws heavily from Michel Foucault's concepts of biopower and governmentality, extending them to examine contemporary forms of social exclusion. 🔹 The author deliberately weaves personal narratives and theoretical analysis together, breaking from traditional academic writing styles to better represent the complex realities she encountered. 🔹 The book examines three distinct communities: Indigenous Australians in the Northern Territory, Indigenous activists in the United States, and queer youth in the urban Northeast, demonstrating how economies of abandonment operate across different contexts.