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This book explores political cynicism as a driving force at the heart of the current crisis of democracy in the United States, focusing on the crisis and the role of education, popular culture and news media in fostering and fighting cynicism.
In this unique text, Van Heertum draws on historical and contemporary data, policy, and current events to map the growth of a cynicism that risks undermining the democratic principles upon which American society is built. Tracing the philosophical, social and historical origins of an "ubiquitous cynicism" cultivated in political discourse, media and educational policy, the chapters then explore avenues to challenge cynicism and restore hope through a more affirmative discourse, aesthetic education, media and educational reform, challenging rampant inequality, and methods to rein in corporate power. The book ultimately advocates for a radical democracy that can restore the power of the people to have a meaningful say in the decisions that affect their lives.
A timely and useful contribution to the field of education, this book will be of interest to postgraduate students and researchers in the fields of educational policy and politics, the sociology of education and American studies.
List of contents
Introduction 1. Defining Cynicism: The Roots of a Political Disease 2. The Shifting Political Discourse: Do What I Say, Not What I Do 3. Inequality, Racism and the Psychology of Cynicism: White Resentment and Neopopulism Unite 4. The Scourge of Fake News (Aka Propaganda is Winning the War on Truth) 5. Educating Intolerance and Commodifying Knowledge: Schools in the Culture Wars' Firing Line 6. Higher Education under Attack on Multiple Fronts: Neoliberalism, Neopopulism and the Cloistering of Knowledge 7. Representatives of the Political Subject in Popular Culture: Cultivating Cynicism through Our Heroes and Villains 8. Corporate Hegemony and the Struggle to Control the American Mind 9. Contesting Cynicism and Restoring Hope
About the author
Richard Van Heertum is a full-time faculty member in the Liberal Arts and Sciences department at the New York Film Academy. He has previously taught at UCLA, CUNY, Drexel and the Art Institute, USA.
Summary
This book explores political cynicism as a driving force at the heart of the current crisis of democracy in the United States, focusing on the crisis and the role of education, popular culture, and news media in fostering and fighting cynicism.
