New Books in Critical Theory Lars Cornelissen, "Neoliberalism and Race" (Stanford UP, 2025)
Nov 11, 2025
Lars Cornelissen, a historian of neoliberalism and author of the forthcoming book, explores the deep-seated connection between race and neoliberal ideology. He examines how racial constructs, both explicit and subtle, have shaped neoliberal thought since the interwar period. Cornelissen critiques influential thinkers like Mises and Hayek, revealing their racial beliefs and the 'lazy native' myth in development theory. He underscores the implications of these ideas for neoliberal policies and advocates for a critical, anti-racist approach to understanding this ideological framework.
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Origins And Scope Of Neoliberalism
- Neoliberalism began in the 1920s–30s as a revival of classical liberalism and developed into a broad intellectual tradition beyond economics.
- Lars Cornelissen argues this tradition persisted through the 20th century and remains influential today.
Why Race Was Overlooked
- Race remained a blind spot in neoliberal scholarship until recent years because earlier critiques focused narrowly on economics and policy.
- Cornelissen says mature neoliberalism required subtler understandings of racism beyond overt prejudice.
Civilization As A Racialized Spectrum
- Mises and Hayek shared a civilizational hierarchy linking liberalism to 'high civilization' despite differing on explicit racial theory.
- That hierarchy racialized development by framing Western liberal culture as the pinnacle of civilization.
