OUR Lewis Model

 

Our attention was recently drawn to “the Lewis Model,” a mapping of the supposed essential characteristics of the cultures of the world by British world traveller and linguist Richard Lewis which is claimed to “explain every culture in the world.”   Since its appearance in the mid-1990s, Lewis’ book has sold over one million copies–enough reason for Business Insider Australia magazine to recently pronounce that Lewis had “nailed it.”

We beg to differ.  In fact we would argue that behind its fresh appearance, Lewis’ attractive looking pyramid diagram is rather a model of something very old, but nevertheless as powerful and appealing as ever:  Orientalism and national essentialism.

So we decided to produce our own model, to chart the power relations that create people like Richard Lewis: confident and arrogant enough to feel that they–and they alone–are uniquely qualified to explain all the cultures of the world with a neat little model, and remarkably successful in selling it.  Dedicated to another Lewis who served as a major inspiration for the establishment of the Wishful Thinking Blog. 

Enjoy!

 

 

The Lewis Mayo Model Explains Those Who Think They Can Explain All the Cultures of the World