First published 2008
Eddie Glaude tackles the conceptual problems that hamper contemporary African American political discourse. He advocates for applying philosopher John Dewey's pragmatism to renew black politics, but with attention to what he calls the darker dimensions of life, the blues experience. Glaude challenges the assumption that African Americans share political unity simply because they are black. He draws from black religious thought and literature to argue for recognizing the full complexity and variety of black life. The author contends that black political leaders must acknowledge this complexity to address real suffering in African American communities. He calls for African Americans to rely on experience rather than fixed categories from the past when approaching social problems. The book offers a framework for understanding how African Americans reached this critical cultural and political moment and maps potential directions for the twenty-first century.
Genres: philosophy, african-american, politics, social-issues, academic, american-history
Vibes: academic, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic, political-theory, social-commentary
189 pages · Paperback · University of Chicago Press