American Academia and the Survival of Marxist Ideas

Marxist thought pervades American academic discourse, particularly in the humanities and the social sciences. Fernández-Morera shows why the survival of these ideas is unjustified in the face of their theoretical and practical problems and their historical record. Fernández-Morera provides a comprehensive critique of Marxist/materialist discourse as it pervades contemporary American scholarship. He examines the rhetorical and ideological underpinnings of the discourse, the socioeconomic circumstances and personality type of its academic practitioners, and its impact on other forms of academic speech. He also exposes the epistemological and ethical consequences of the discourse in light of the history of the 20th century and explains its remarkable success in the academic world.Being multidisciplinary, the book should challenge many and appeal to those interested in criticism, politics, epistemology, ethics, history, sociology, and even economics. Certainly all those interested in the condition of higher education will find it provocative.

"This book is highly...relevant to the current trends and problems of American higher education as well as the broader and more timeless issues of philosophy and epistemology. It is also an outstanding contribution to the sociology of intellectuals, parts of it reminding this reader of Raymond Aron's classic, The Opium of Intellectuals, of which it is a worthy successor in some regards. A lucid style and thorough documentation enhance the impact of this excellent, highly original study, which in the final analysis is an all too rare synthesis of what people think, how they behave, and how institutions function (or fail to function)."-Paul Hollander, Professor of Sociology University of Massachusetts, Amherst, ?[I]nteresting and original....This volume...represents a valuable and rare contribution to understanding contemporary American academic life and the mindset of an influential group of academic intellectuals.?-Orbis, "ÝI¨nteresting and original....This volume...represents a valuable and rare contribution to understanding contemporary American academic life and the mindset of an influential group of academic intellectuals."-Orbis, "[I]nteresting and original....This volume...represents a valuable and rare contribution to understanding contemporary American academic life and the mindset of an influential group of academic intellectuals."-Orbis

DARÍO FERNÁNDEZ-MORERA is Associate Professor of Comparative Literature and Hispanic Studies at Northwestern University. He has published widely on critical discourse, the cultural encounter between European and Amerindians, Spanish literature, and contemporary historical and cultural events in Latin America.