Sometimes dismissed as mere fantasies, utopian capitalist experiments by the ultra-rich have in fact been tried in many places on earth, often with disastrous consequences for the local inhabitants, according to Ray Craib, Marie Underhill Noll Professor of American History.  

In a live, hybrid (in-person and livestreamed) Chats in the Stacks book talk, Craib, who also holds affiliations with Romance studies, Latin American and Caribbean studies, and Latino studies, will discuss this history as revealed in his new book Adventure Capitalism: A History of Libertarian Exit, from the Era of Decolonization to the Digital Age (PM Press/Spectre, 2022). Based on deep dives into FBI files as well as archives in the US, the UK, and Vanuatu, Adventure Capitalism is a global history of elite exit projects involving an array of characters, from old guard coup leaders to techno-utopians, segregationists, socialists, real estate speculators and international spies. Craib will explore his work’s implications for understanding the history of contemporary cap­italism, decolonization, and empire, as well as the direction of our global future.

This talk is hosted by Olin Library. Light refreshments will be served.