The Abandoned Generation: Democracy Beyond the Culture of Fear

by Henry A. Giroux

Henry Giroux continues his critique of American culture and the way it impinges on the lives of our children. This time, Henry goes further, looking at the 'Bush Restoration' years, the attacks of September 11th and the way the world has been transformed for our children and young adults.

Genres: Nonfiction, Education

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

American cultural critic. One of the founding theorists of critical pedagogy in the United States, he is best known for his pioneering work in public pedagogy, cultural studies, youth studies, higher education, media studies, and critical theory.

A high-school social studies teacher in Barrington, Rhode Island for six years, Giroux has held positions at Boston University, Miami University, and Penn State University. In 2005, Giroux began serving as the Global TV Network Chair in English and Cultural Studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

Giroux has published more than 35 books and 300 academic articles, and is published widely throughout education and cultural studies literature. Since arriving at McMaster, Giroux has been a featured faculty lecturer, and has published nine books, including his most recent work, The University in Chains: Confronting the Military-Industrial-Academic Complex.

Routledge named Giroux as one of the top fifty educational thinkers of the modern period in 2002.

Reviews

[Adam Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

(This review is published elsewhere online.)

The most important contribution to our collective work for social change by and with young people in recent years is not being talked about. Perhaps because it is the most dangerous. Truth is told, lies exposed, agendas revealed, and purpose questioned.

The Abandoned Generation: Democracy Beyond the Culture of Fear was written by cultural theorist Henry Giroux. Giroux has been a scholar for 25 years, publishing more than 30 books and 250 scholarly articles. Some people refer to his work as socialist, dissident, and revolutionary; all very stand-offish terms for a man dedicated to revealing the various agendas against young people, democracy and social justice today. And reveal plots he does.

In this latest book Giroux carefully outlines several competing agendas for America's children and youth, including that of the :
* "Compassionate conservatives" of the Bush Administration destroying the federal funding base for several social programs designed to support low-income children and youth across the nation;
* Corporations fighting for a chance to run America's schools, determined to indoctrinate the values of patriotic consumerism in school students by taking the "public" out of public schools, and;
* Mass media's continued assault on mass culture's perceptions of youth by consistently portraying young people as apathetic, trashed out waste who are only motivated by punishment and rewards.
* Giroux speaks directly to young activists today, recognizing the power behind a lot of different groups, and offering a challenge for young people to connect with larger movements for social justice, like fighting for a radical, inclusive democracy instead of simply an end to sweatshop labor.

He also addresses educators, continuously calling for social justice, empowerment, and action in classrooms. Giroux shows how standardized tests serve multiple gods, enforcing racism, consumption, and class segregation in the name of "high performance." There is a constant thread throughout the book calling for educators to teach critical thinking, active democracy, and community action for social change.

At a time when a lot of people see "Hope" as a dirty word, Giroux calls it front and center. He challenges the reader to examine the power of Hope for themselves, and calls for us to remove Hope from a silly, idyllic notion of "someday faraway" to a present, guiding, active notion that can guide and engage people, young and old, everyday.

In my continued effort to explore the depth, purpose, and effects of youth-led community action, I have not found another book that is so determined to tell the truth; the challenge now is to get people to read it. I thoroughly recommend 'The Abandoned Generation' to anyone dedicated to promoting social change by and with young people around the world, and eagerly await for the action that will follow.

[Salahuddin Hourani]

ملاحظة لي: لم اقرا الكتاب بعد -
كيف يدعو المجتمع الحديث الى نبذ قيم العائلة والى تصوير تنشئة الاطفال على انه يضر بمنطق السوق

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very thoughtful and pointed set of essays.
while well supported arguments Giroux is clearly angry at someone...a lot to say but little in the way of solutions for his stated observed problems.
is it possible the 'corporatization' of everything is just what is to happen until we become an idiocracy? porbably not it may be an upswing in this misery we exist in... Giroux has made me feel very depressed.

[Peggy]

this is a tough read, required for a class i took, interesting

[Allison Durham Matheson]

So far it's point on... we'll see what I think after I get through Chapter 1. :-)