Hope and Scorn
Eggheads, Experts, and Elites in American Politics
by Michael J. Brown
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Pub Date Oct 02 2020 | Archive Date Aug 01 2020
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Description
Intellectuals “have been both rallying points and railed against in American politics, vessels of hope and targets of scorn,” writes Michael J. Brown as he invigorates a recurrent debate in American life: Are intellectual public figures essential voices of knowledge and wisdom, or out-of-touch elites? Hope and Scorn investigates the role of high-profile experts and thinkers in American life and their ever-fluctuating relationship with the political and public spheres.
From Eisenhower’s era to Obama’s, the intellectual’s role in modern democracy has been up for debate. What makes an intellectual, and who can claim that privileged title? What are intellectuals’ obligations to society, and how, if at all, are their contributions compatible with democracy? For some, intellectuals were models of civic engagement. For others, the rise of the intellectual signaled the fall of the citizen. Carrying us through six key moments in this debate, Brown expertly untangles the shifting anxieties and aspirations for democracy in America in the second half of the twentieth century and beyond. Hope and Scorn begins with “egghead” politicians like Adlai Stevenson; profiles scholars like Richard Hofstadter and scholars-turned-politicians like H. Stuart Hughes; and ends with the rise of public intellectuals such as bell hooks and Cornel West. In clear and unburdened prose, Brown explicates issues of power, authority, political backlash, and more. Hope and Scorn is an essential guide to American concerns about intellectuals, their myriad shortcomings, and their formidable abilities.
Advance Praise
“This book will change the terms in which historians have thought about the meaning of intellectual life in the second half of the twentieth century. . . . Hope and Scorn gives us a perspective on intellectuals and democratic values that has been sorely lacking. It is bracing to have a thoughtful and careful analysis of the recent history of the meaning of intellectual authority for the dream of a democratic society.”—Daniel Wickberg, University of Texas, Dallas
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780226718149 |
| PRICE | $30.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 368 |
Featured Reviews
Eric P, Reviewer
"Hope and Scorn" by Michael J. Brown tackles the ever changing and precarious place of public intellectuals in the U.S. I found this to be a deep book that was well-written and thoroughly researched, but it was a slow read. I'm naturally a slow reader, but this slowed me down even more. It's packed with knowledge and insight. The two most enjoyable aspects for me was Brown's look at Richard Hofstadter and his inclusion of African American intellectuals, which too often get overlooked when considering public intellectuals.
In other books I've reviewed this year, I've seen Hofstadter as both villain and hero. In this book, Brown situates us in Hofstadter's time and life. We learn what he was working for and working against. I found the context of his life to be informative, and it made me rethink the earlier versions of Hofstadter that I'd read. I would recommend this book to anyone just for the Hofstadter chapter.
While I don't really know what to make of Cornell West, Michael Brown convinced me that I need to read some of his writings. My own views of West come from his time on Joe Rogan's podcast, Bill Maher's show, and various YouTube videos; through all of that, I was on the fence about whether he was worth my time. I like this idea of the pragmatist intellectual, and I'd like to know more.
I liked "Hope and Scorn," and it on my reread list. It's an excellent introduction to many well-known and should-be-well-known intellectuals and their work.
Kim J, Reviewer
One of my greatest concerns as a teacher, mother, and citizen of this country is the glamorization with anti-intellectualism. This is baffling to me and frankly scares me. This book understood my fears and tried to explain why the tide as shifted in this direction. It is still scary to me, but at least I understand it more now.
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