Overview

"""Be original. See what happens."" So Todd Gitlin advises the young mind burning to take action to right the wrongs of the world but also looking for bearings, understanding, direction, and practical examples. In Letters to a Young Activist , Gitlin looks back at his eventful life, recalling his experience as president of the formidable Students for a Democratic Society in the'60s, contemplating the spirit of activism, and arriving at some principles of action to guide the passion and energy of those wishing to do good. Through a series of letters, he imparts to a new generation of radicals and activists the passion he felt as an angry young man and the wisdom he has attained as a mature political writer, teacher, and father. Gitlin considers the three complementary motives of duty, love, and adventure, reflects on the changing nature of idealism, and shows how righteous action requires realistic as well as idealistic thinking. And he looks forward to an uncertain future that is nevertheless full of possibility, a future where patriotism and intelligent skepticism are not mutually exclusive. With compassion and hard-won insight, Gitlin invites the young activist to enter imaginatively into some of the dilemmas, moral and practical, of being a modern citizen- the dilemmas that affect not only the problems of what to think but also the problems of what to love and how to live."

Full Product Details

Author:   Todd Gitlin
Publisher:   Basic Books
Imprint:   Basic Books
Edition:   First Trade Paper Edition
Dimensions:   Width: 12.70cm , Height: 1.50cm , Length: 20.30cm
Weight:   0.170kg
ISBN:  

9780465033065

ISBN 10:   0465033067
Pages:   192
Publication Date:   31 July 2012
Recommended Age:   From 13 to 99 years
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

Reviews

Author Information

Todd Gitlin is a professor of journalism and sociology and the chair of the Ph.D. program in communications at Columbia University. He is the author of fourteen books, including most recently the novel Undying and The Chosen Peoples: America, Israel, and the Ordeals of Divine Election. He is a regular contributor to the New Republic and TPMcafe.com, and has written for outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Nation and Harper's.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

No review item found!

Add your own review!

Countries Available

All regions