1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910453206603321

Autore

Wiseman Nelson

Titolo

The public intellectual in Canada / / edited by Nelson Wiseman

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Toronto, [Ontario] ; ; Buffalo, [New York] ; ; London, [England] : , : University of Toronto Press, , 2013

©2013

ISBN

1-4426-6216-6

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (259 p.)

Disciplina

305.5/520971

Soggetti

Intellectuals - Canada

Electronic books.

Canada Intellectual life

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di contenuto

Front matter -- Contents -- Introduction -- PART ONE. What Are Public Intellectuals For? -- 1. The Public Intellectual and the Democratic Conversation -- 2. The Public Intellectual and Politics: Why Choices Matter -- 3. Public Thought and the Crisis of Underpopulation -- 4. What Are Intellectuals For? A Modest Proposal in Dialogue Form -- PART TWO. Who Are They? -- 5. Public Intellectuals in Twentieth-Century Canada -- 6. Le Devoir , Forum for the Exchange of Ideas -- 7. Quebec Public Intellectuals in Times of Crisis -- 8. Navigating Gendered Spaces: Women as Public Intellectuals -- PART THREE. On the Front Lines -- 9. A Political Scientist in Public Affairs -- 10. Personal Success versus Public Failure: The Muting of Canada's Academic Intellectuals -- 11. Polling for Democracy -- 12. A People's Intellectual -- 13. Canadian Economists as Public Intellectuals -- 14. The Unbalanced Discussion of Aboriginal Policy -- 15. "Brave New Ethicists": A Cautionary Tale -- Conclusion -- Contributors

Sommario/riassunto

This illuminating, entertaining, and timely volume examines the place and impact of public intellectuals in our rapidly changing and diverse society. Boasting an all-star cast of contributors - including some of Canada's most prominent writers, journalists, and academics - it probes the role of public discourse and intellectual persuasion in



shaping Canada's past, present, and future. The Public Intellectual in Canada examines how individuals have come to assume this role, how they are received by various publics, and what they have been able to accomplish. The pieces cover topics ranging from the potential and perils of advocacy to the influence of think tanks on public policy. Many pieces also delve into the roles of pollsters, political actors, pundits, social activists, economists, and ethicists, among others. Broad in scope and stylistically diverse, these essays offer a fascinating overview of the links between thought, public exposition, and action in the fields of politics, science, and culture.