Humanism and Democratic Criticism

Traditional humanistic education has been under assault for many years. In this, his final book, Edward Said argues that a more democratic form of humanism - one that aims to incorporate, emancipate, and enlighten - is still possible. Proposing an enhanced dialogue between cultural traditions as a strategy for revitalizing the humanities, Said contends that words are vital agents of historical and political change and that reading teaches people to continually question, upset, and reform. By considering the emerging social responsibilities of writers and intellectuals in an ever more interconnected world and pointing out that the canonized thinkers of today were yesterday's revolutionaries, Said makes a persuasive case for humanistic education and a more democratic form of criticism.

• argue
• climate
• dialogue
• education
• future
• humanism
• philology
• reform
• revolution
• subject
• tradition

Praise for the author:

'One of the leading thinkers of the age.' - The New York Observer

'Edward Said is the most distinguished and cultural critic now writing in America.' - Cornel West

'Said is a brilliant and unique amalgam of scholar, aesthete, and political activist...[He] challenges and stimulates our thinking in every area.' - Washington Post Book World

'Edward Said helps us to understand who we are and what we must do if we aspire to be moral agents, not servants of power.' - Noam Chomsky

'Future work about or influenced by Said will no doubt be more grandiose and heavyweight than this collection of lectures and essays from the last years of his life. But no other work can be as inspiring as this.' - New Humanist

EDWARD W. SAID was formerly University Professor in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. The author of many books, including Out of Place, Culture and Imperialism, and Orientalism, he died in September 2003.

Policies and ethics