Bali, 50 Years of Changes - A Conversation with Jean Couteau

Even upon returning after a brief absence, you will never find the island as you left it. The quick and extraordinary changes that have occurred in the last fifty years on Bali are sagaciously explored through a dialogue between two people who both know and love this magic place which, despite its variable nature, has never lost that incredible atmosphere that has always drawn travellers from around the world. In the unique book Bali, 50 Years of Changes written by famed journalist Eric Buvelot, the author speaks with the great sociologist and scholar Jean Couteau in an interesting and intense twenty-hour interview which touches upon every imaginable social, economic, cultural and spiritual sphere of Balinese life. From the period of the imperial courts to the role of women today, from migration to environmental problems, such as the pollution caused by plastic, from economic growth to religious identity. Each subject is approached with a wealth of details and information provided by two scholars who have lived on the island for years. This offers a new point of view with which to explore the complexity of Balinese modern history, including globalization. Among the many changes, the revolution brought about by the birth of individualism in a society which has been historically communal, as well as the “rationalization” of religion, thanks to the skepticism and critical thought created by an increasingly educated poplulation. Fortunately, the stunning traditional Balinese cerimonies continue to resist these transformations.