Crisis and Commonwealth

Edited by Charles Reitz - Contributions by Kevin B. Anderson; David Brodsky; Patricia Pollock Brodsky; Lloyd C. Daniel; Jodi Dean; Douglas Dowd; Arnold L. Farr; Henry A. Giroux; Alfred T. Kisubi; John Marciano; Peter Marcuse; Peter McLaren; Stephen Sparta

Crisis and Commonwealth: Marcuse, Marx, McLaren advances Marcuse scholarship by presenting four hitherto untranslated and unpublished manuscripts by Herbert Marcuse from the Frankfurt University Archive on themes of economic value theory, socialism, and humanism. Contributors to this edited collection, notably Peter Marcuse, Henry Giroux, Peter McLaren, Zvi Tauber, Arnold L. Farr and editor, Charles Reitz, are deeply engaged with the foundational theories of Marcuse and Marx with regard to a future of freedom, equality, and justice. Douglas Dowd furnishes the critical historical context with regard to U.S. foreign and domestic policy, particularly its features of economic imperialism and militarism. Reitz draws these elements together to show that the writings by Herbert Marcuse and these formidable authors can ably assist a global movement toward intercultural commonwealth.The collection extends the critical theories of Marcuse and Marx to an analysis of the intensifying inequalities symptomatic of our current economic distress. It presents a collection of essays by radical scholars working in the public interest to develop a critical analysis of recent global economic dislocations. Reitz presents a new foundation for emancipatory practice-a labor theory of ethics and commonwealth, and the collection breaks new ground by constructing a critical theory of wealth and work. A central focus is building a new critical vision for labor, including academic labor. Lessons are drawn to inform transformative political action, as well as the practice of a critical, multicultural pedagogy, supporting a new manifesto for radical educators contributed by Peter McLaren. The collection is intended especially to appeal to contemporary interests of college students and teachers in several interrelated social science disciplines: sociology, social problems, economics, ethics, business ethics, labor education, history, political philosophy, multicultural education, and critical pedagogy.

AcknowledgmentsIntroduction. Crisis and Commonwealth: Politics, Pedagogy, PraxisCharles ReitzChapter 1. The Political Economy of Predation and Counterrevolution: Recalling Marcuse on the Radical Goals of SocialismCharles Reitz and Stephen SpartanChapter 2. Socialism One Sector at a TimePeter MarcuseChapter 3. Charter 2000: A Transitional Program for LaborDavid BrodskyChapter 4. "Vote for a Job"? A Short History of Contemporary Strategic Failure on the Organized Left, with Lessons for the PresentFred WhiteheadChapter 5. U.S. Capitalism and Militarism in Crisis? Our Political Work TodayDouglas DowdChapter 6. Empire as a Way of Life: Course Outline and BibliographyJohn MarcianoChapter 7. Surplus Over-Appropriation and the Reproduction Crisis in the Western Roman EmpireStephen SpartanChapter 8. An Essay on Repressive Education: Marcuse, Marx, Adorno, and the Future of Emancipatory LearningArnold L. FarrChapter 9. Can Democratic Education Survive in a Neoliberal Society?Henry A. GirouxChapter 10. Defeating Corporate Blueprints, White Papers, and Blue Ribbon Task Forces:Academic Labor Reclaims Public Higher Education for the PublicPatricia P. BrodskyChapter 11. Art as a Manifestation of the Struggle for Human Emancipation: A Non-Dogmatic Marxist Position in AestheticsZvi TauberChapter 12. A Labor Theory of Ethics and Commonwealth: Recalling a "New" MarcuseCharles ReitzChapter 13. Diversity, Equality, Empowerment in Politics and EducationCharles ReitzChapter 14. Cultural Origins of African Humanism and Socialism (Ujamaa)Alfred T. KisubiChapter 15. The Second Assassination of Dr. KingLloyd C. DanielChapter 16. Year Two of Arab RevolutionsKevin AndersonChapter 17. Revolutionary Critical Pedagogy for a Socialist Society: A ManifestoPeter McLarenChapter 18. The Communist HorizonJodi DeanConclusion. The Commonwealth Counter-OffensiveCharles ReitzAppendix. Four Manuscripts on Value Theory, Humanism, and SocialismHerbert MarcuseName IndexSubject IndexAbout the Contributors