French Literature Reviews - 2026
B. Latour, Où suis-je ?, Leçons du confinement à l'usage des terrestres
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas
Bruno Latour
Où suis-je ?, Leçons du confinement à l'usage des terrestres
La Découverte
ISBN : 9782359252002
150 p.
€15.00
OVERVIEW
The experience of lockdown has proved harrowing on both individual and collective levels. States and individuals alike are currently seeking ways to exit lockdown, hoping to return to the "world before" as quickly as possible through a swift "recovery."
Yet there is another way to draw lessons from these trials, at least for those who might be called the terrestrials. The latter seem to be realizing that an ordinary exit from lockdown is out of the question—especially since the health crisis is intertwined with another, far more severe crisis—and that this represents an opportunity to be seized: finally understanding where they are, and upon what earth they will ultimately be able to anchor themselves, if not develop! Où suis-je ? is the logical sequel to his previous book, Down to Earth: Politics in the New Climatic Regime.
Having landed, sometimes abruptly, terrestrials must now explore the ground they will henceforth inhabit. How can they be aided in this task? Such is the purpose of this essay, presented in short chapters. Following Facing Gaia, these two books outline the New Climatic Regime with ever-increasing precision.
This essay follows Bruno Latour's ongoing investigation into the New Climatic Regime, extending lines of inquiry developed in works such as Facing Gaia and Down to Earth. Within contemporary French philosophy and environmental thought, these texts address the complex intersections of ecological crisis, political structures and human habitation. The volume is structured around short chapters designed to guide readers through the practical and conceptual challenges of situating oneself upon a transformed planet.
Readers interested in contemporary philosophy, environmental humanities and sociological reflections on the recent global health crisis may find this text relevant. The experience of lockdown has proved harrowing on both individual and collective levels, and states and individuals alike are currently seeking ways to exit lockdown, hoping to return to the "world before" as quickly as possible through a swift "recovery."