Description
Book SynopsisInvestigates the definition, role, and decline of public intellectuals in American society. Drawing from a range of commentaries and studies, this volume demonstrates the importance of public intellectuals, and probes the question of how their voices can be effective in the social, academic and political climates.
Trade ReviewPublic Intellectuals collects many of the finest essays produced on this topic in recent decades, and Etzioni's Introduction brings clarity to a topic that is all too often the victim of partisanship, vague impressions, and unreliable statistics. Anyone interested in the unique role of intellectuals with public voices will profit from this volume. -- William A. Galston
Scholars of all types will find material of interest. Personal favorites include Lewis Coser's discussion of intellectuals as celebrities, Theodore Draper's essay on intellectuals in politics, Joseph Epstein's reflections on public intellectuals in the 1950s and 1960s and the Basic Book forum on the future of public intellectuals. * Political Studies Review *
Amitai Etzioni is one of America's most creative public intellectuals, and this collection of articles will be an important challenge to the many in academia who use their brilliant talents to address trivia and the many in the media who address important issues but without the level of intellectual sophistication that Etzioni and the other writers in this collection bring to the table. -- Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor, Tikkun
Table of ContentsPart 1 Introduction: "Are Public Intellectuals an Endangered Species" Part 2 What are Public Intellectuals? Definition and Overview Chapter 3 Public Intellectuals, Public Life, and the University Chapter 4 The Future of the Public Intellectual: A Forum Part 5 Roles of Public Intellectuals Chapter 6 Intellectuals, Dissent and Bureaucrats Chapter 7 Why Public Intellectuals? Chapter 8 The Calling of the Public Intellectual Chapter 9 Forum Part 10 The Divide: Academic vs. Free-Standing Public Intellectuals Chapter 11 The Public Intellectual, Service Learning, and Activist Research Chapter 12 Race and the Public Intellectual: A Conversation with Michael Eric Dyson Chapter 13 In Over Their Heads Chapter 14 Forum Part 15 On the Decline of Public Intellectuals Chapter 16 The Intellectual: Will He Wither Away? Chapter 17 The Graying of the Intellectuals Chapter 18 Intellectuals After the Revolution Chapter 19 Intellectuals— Public and Otherwise Chapter 20 Forum Part 21 A Continuing Presence: Public Intellectuals and Change Chapter 22 Intellectuals in Politics Chapter 23 The Intellectuals as Celebrity Chapter 24 Forum Part 25 Speaking Truth to Power Chapter 26 On Knowledge and Power Chapter 27 The Reith Lectures: Speaking Truth to Power Chapter 28 All the Presidents' Brains
