#2119 - James Lindsay

The Critical Turn in Education explores the evolution of critical theories in education, from Marxist critiques to poststructuralist feminism and critical race theories. It provides a nuanced understanding of how these theories have shaped educational scholarship and practice over time. The book examines key figures such as Paulo Freire, Samuel Bowles, and Henry Giroux, and discusses the impact of postmodernism and poststructuralism on educational thought.

Written during World War II and published in 1945, 'The Open Society and Its Enemies' is a seminal work in political philosophy. Karl Popper critiques the theories of teleological historicism espoused by Plato, Hegel, and Marx, arguing that these theories undermine individual freedom and pave the way for authoritarian regimes. The book defends the open society and liberal democracy, emphasizing the importance of critical rationalism, individual freedom, and the ethos of scientific inquiry in politics. It also discusses the challenges facing open societies, including totalitarianism, dogmatism, and relativism, and advocates for a piecemeal approach to social reform.

This book, first published in 1961, is an analysis of the experiences of fifteen Chinese citizens and twenty-five Westerners who underwent brainwashing by the Chinese Communist government. Lifton outlines eight criteria for thought reform, including Milieu Control, Mystical Manipulation, Demand for Purity, Confession, Sacred Science, Loading the Language, Doctrine over person, and Dispensing of existence. The book explores the thematic pattern of death and rebirth, accompanied by feelings of guilt, that characterizes the process of thought reform and discusses its broader implications for the study of extremism and totalism.

Xi Van Fleet's book, 'Mao's America: A Survivor's Warning', draws parallels between the Chinese Cultural Revolution and what she perceives as a similar cultural upheaval in the United States. Through personal experiences and historical research, she warns of the dangers of Marxist ideologies and their potential to undermine American freedom. Her activism began with a speech against Critical Race Theory, which gained national attention.