José María Ridao

Addressing realities close to the reader and recent events, the texts collected in this volume illustrate the idea that any order—be it international, economic, or political—rests largely on conventions and collective illusions.

From this perspective, dedicated to detecting and dismantling the clichés that shape our perceptions and positions, José María Ridao undertakes an original and meticulous journey through some of the most pressing issues of our time, such as the situation in Africa, the conflicts in the Middle East and Yugoslavia, the retreat into identity within Islam or nationalist movements, globalization, and migratory phenomena.

Despite the strenuous efforts of these illusory orders to sustain themselves and endure, Ridao suggests that the only constant is disillusionment: the continuous, cyclical friction between reality and our image of it. In doing so, the author revalues a cultural lens on aspects of reality—such as the international, economic, and political spheres—that have frequently been excluded from its scope of reflection.