Unruly Voices
Essays on Democracy, Civility and the Human Imagination
Accessible, entertaining, anecdotal. A good introduction to issues in contemporary civics as well as a measured and thoughtful response to major themes and figures in cultural studies.
Civility in politics is a subject throughout, and analyses of both Obama's rhetoric and the use of lowest-common-denominator insults in public debate will be well-timed going into the 2012 election campaign
Not just formal essays: some are dialogues, some personal meditations, some direct addresses to famous figures. Variety helps keep the collection entertaining.
Mark Kingwell is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Toronto, a contributing editor for Harper’s Magazine, and has written for publications ranging from Adbusters and the New York Times to the Journal of Philosophy and Auto Racing Digest. Among his twelve books of political and cultural theory are the Canadian best-sellers Better Living, The World We Want, and Concrete Reveries. In order to secure financing for their continued indulgence he has also written about his various hobbies, including fishing, baseball, cocktails, and contemporary art.
