Pim - Workgroup 3
It’s getting hot in here
An analytical review on Thomas Hylland Eriksen’s book: ‘Overheating: An Anthropology of
Accelerated Change’
Name: Pim
Course: Cultural Anthropology 4: globalization and sociocultural complexity (201100013)
Date: 31 mei 2023
Teacher: H. Koster
Wordcount: 1086
Thomas Hylland Eriksen. ‘Overheating: An Anthropology of Accelerated Change’.
London: Pluto Press, 2016. 176 pages €26,75 Paperback. ISBN 9780745336343
Overheating is the word and title of the book with which Eriksen refers to the fact that the
world is overly filled by people, their projects and the material products of their activities. In
the book ‘Overheating: An Anthropology of Accelerated Change’ (2016) the Norwegian
anthropologist Thomas Hylland Eriksen gives us innovative perspectives within the topic of
overheating and the world we live in today. Through eight different chapters, Eriksen lays out
his view and describes the multiple parts which have a big influence on it. Doing so, he goes
back in history and compares the past with the current state of affairs in the world. According
to Eriksen the contemporary world is too full, too intense, too fast, too hot, too neoliberal and
even overly dominated by humans. In relation to this, the author talks about the
Anthropocene, which is a name given to the current geological era where humanity has
placed its stamp on the planet in ways it never has been before (2016, 17). An example of this
is the contemporary issue of global warming. The statement of the Anthropocene and the
rapid change set in motion by humans, constantly returns throughout the book. Therefore it
can be seen as the thesis of this book. Eriksen’s narrative compares the social, political and
personal implications of climate change and forces the reader to see the urgent need for
change. This implies in general the negative causes and consequences related to the growing
human footprint. Therefore it could be seen as the main theme of the book.
The contemporary world, as argued by Eriksen, is too full with people's activities and
I agree. If you look at mass-food production, the industry of brands and the overwhelming
clothing industry, this is all related to the growing worldwide population as well as the
1
It’s getting hot in here
An analytical review on Thomas Hylland Eriksen’s book: ‘Overheating: An Anthropology of
Accelerated Change’
Name: Pim
Course: Cultural Anthropology 4: globalization and sociocultural complexity (201100013)
Date: 31 mei 2023
Teacher: H. Koster
Wordcount: 1086
Thomas Hylland Eriksen. ‘Overheating: An Anthropology of Accelerated Change’.
London: Pluto Press, 2016. 176 pages €26,75 Paperback. ISBN 9780745336343
Overheating is the word and title of the book with which Eriksen refers to the fact that the
world is overly filled by people, their projects and the material products of their activities. In
the book ‘Overheating: An Anthropology of Accelerated Change’ (2016) the Norwegian
anthropologist Thomas Hylland Eriksen gives us innovative perspectives within the topic of
overheating and the world we live in today. Through eight different chapters, Eriksen lays out
his view and describes the multiple parts which have a big influence on it. Doing so, he goes
back in history and compares the past with the current state of affairs in the world. According
to Eriksen the contemporary world is too full, too intense, too fast, too hot, too neoliberal and
even overly dominated by humans. In relation to this, the author talks about the
Anthropocene, which is a name given to the current geological era where humanity has
placed its stamp on the planet in ways it never has been before (2016, 17). An example of this
is the contemporary issue of global warming. The statement of the Anthropocene and the
rapid change set in motion by humans, constantly returns throughout the book. Therefore it
can be seen as the thesis of this book. Eriksen’s narrative compares the social, political and
personal implications of climate change and forces the reader to see the urgent need for
change. This implies in general the negative causes and consequences related to the growing
human footprint. Therefore it could be seen as the main theme of the book.
The contemporary world, as argued by Eriksen, is too full with people's activities and
I agree. If you look at mass-food production, the industry of brands and the overwhelming
clothing industry, this is all related to the growing worldwide population as well as the
1
