The figure of the imposter stirs a captivating combination of emotions, from intrigue to suspicion and horror. But what insights can these troublesome figures provide into the social relations and cultural forms from which they emerge? Beginning with a critical overview of previous uses of the imposter in social sciences and humanities, this volume explores this question through a diverse range of empirical cases, including click farms, magicians, spirit possession, images of celebrity, fake art and defrauding scientists. Proposing 'Thinking with Imposters' as an important new tool of analysis ... More

The figure of the imposter stirs a captivating combination of emotions, from intrigue to suspicion and horror. But what insights can these troublesome figures provide into the social relations and cultural forms from which they emerge? Beginning with a critical overview of previous uses of the imposter in social sciences and humanities, this volume explores this question through a diverse range of empirical cases, including click farms, magicians, spirit possession, images of celebrity, fake art and defrauding scientists. Proposing 'Thinking with Imposters' as an important new tool of analysis in the social sciences and humanities, this revolutionary book shows how the figure of the imposter can help upend social theory. First and foremost, the aim of this book is to upset traditional modes of analysis in the social sciences and humanities. In addition, in taking a closer look at how ‘imposters’ in various settings are named, shamed and defined, the chapters each speak to, and engage with, broader concerns – migration politics, state power and racism, to name but a few – challenging the status quo on how we think about these issues.