Umberto Eco's essays on post-9/11 politics and media
Umberto Eco's collection of essays written between 2000 and 2005, originally published in various newspapers, examines the political and social upheavals of the early millennium. Topics range from 9/11 and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to the rise of Silvio Berlusconi, new terrorism, and the resurgence of xenophobia and populism in Italy and beyond. Eco deconstructs media reactions to events, highlighting what he calls "backward steps" — the return of archaic stereotypes, false beliefs, and neo-wars. He critiques cultural phenomena like Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ and Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, as well as contemporary mysticism and racism. The essays employ a rhetorical device of "captatio malevolentiae," intriguing the reader while challenging their assumptions.
Key facts
- Essays collected in the book were published between 2000 and 2005.
- Topics include 9/11, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Berlusconi's rise.
- Eco analyzes media repercussions of social and religious events.
- He identifies 'backward steps' such as archaic stereotypes and neo-wars.
- Critiques include Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ and Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code.
- Discusses new populism and post-fascist movements in Italy.
- Uses 'captatio malevolentiae' as a rhetorical technique.
- Book published by Éditions Grasset.
Entities
Artists
- Umberto Eco
- Mel Gibson
- Dan Brown
Institutions
- Éditions Grasset
Locations
- Italy
- Iraq
- Afghanistan
Sources
- artpress —