Herbert Marcuse as Social Justice Educator

Demonstrating the continued relevance of Marcuse?s work, Herbert Marcuse as Social Justice Educator details how his teachings remain a countervailing force to the conventional wisdom in intellectual and political matters today.

By drawing on Marcuse?s critical analysis of the political economy, a profound concern for environmental issues, and an explicit critique of educational philosophy, this book illuminates not only the content and contours of Marcuse?s work but its importance for developing critical social scientific thinking and theoretical insight into contemporary issues such as genocide and ecocide, fascism and democratic crises, political economy and social inequality, and the role of culture and media in forming compliant consumer-citizens.

From Charles Reitz, a prominent leader in Marcuse studies, this book will be an essential guide for instructors, students, and learners in sociology, social theory, political science, and environmental studies.

"Reitz presents Marcuse anew as a social justice educator. The volume raises the profile of critical political economy and critical pedagogy in Marcuse studies. It explicates the theoretical foundations of Marcuse's radical socialist humanism. Critical pedagogy now benefits from a re-evaluation of Marcuse?s works, especially what I call 'revolutionary critical pedagogy.'?

Peter McLaren, Professor Emeritus at the School of Education and Information Studies, University of California, Los Angeles

"There are no other books that do with Marcuse what this book does in a comprehensive way, providing a coherent presentation of the work of Marcuse and its wide relevance to a number of topics. The social conditions of our times politically, economically, and culturally warrant the rediscovery of Marcuse?s work and most especially, its ongoing implications for the conditions of our time?and Charles Reitz is absolutely the right scholar to lead the way."

Lauren Langman, Professor of Sociology, Loyola University, Chicago

"Herbert Marcuse as Social Justice Educator addresses some of the key issues of our time by presenting the importance of Herbert Marcuse's ideas for social justice education. Charles Reitz has long been one of the major scholars on the work and influence of Marcuse in the field of education, ecology, social critique, and progressive politics and this book will be his most important work?his crowning achievement in writing many books on Marcuse, education, social justice, and liberation."

Douglas Kellner, George Kneller Chair, UCLA and author of Media Culture: Cultural Studies, Identity, and Politics in the Contemporary Moment (2nd ed., Routledge, 2020)