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OverviewSociety has never been more egalitarian - in theory. Prejudice is taboo, and diversity is strongly valued. At the same time, social and economic inequality have exploded. In We Have Never Been Woke, Musa al-Gharbi argues that these trends are closely related, each tied to the rise of a new elite - the symbolic capitalists. In education, media, nonprofits, and beyond, members of this elite work primarily with words, ideas, images, and data, and are very likely to identify as allies of antiracist, feminist, LGBTQ, and other progressive causes. Their dominant ideology is 'wokeness' and, while their commitment to equality is sincere, they actively benefit from and perpetuate the inequalities they decry. Indeed, their egalitarian credentials help them gain more power and status, often at the expense of the marginalised and disadvantaged. We Have Never Been Woke details how the language of social justice is increasingly used to justify this elite - and to portray the losers in the knowledge economy as deserving their lot because they think or say the 'wrong' things about race, gender, and sexuality. Al-Gharbi's point is not to accuse symbolic capitalists of hypocrisy or cynicism. Rather, he examines how their genuine beliefs prevent them from recognising how they contribute to social problems - or how their actions regularly provoke backlash against the social justice causes they champion. A powerful critique, We Have Never Been Woke reveals that only by challenging this elite's self-serving narratives can we hope to address social and economic inequality effectively. '[We Have Never Been Woke] announces [al-Gharbi] as a rising intellectual star.' David Brooks, New York Times 'A sharp, well-researched critique aimed at politically active readers who want to better understand why people believe what they believe.' Library Journal Full Product DetailsAuthor: Musa al-GharbiPublisher: Princeton University Press Imprint: Princeton University Press ISBN: 9780691232607ISBN 10: 0691232601 Pages: 432 Publication Date: 08 October 2024 Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Tertiary & Higher Education , Professional & Vocational Format: Hardback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: Not yet available This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release. Table of ContentsReviews""[We Have Never Been Woke] announces [al-Gharbi] as a rising intellectual star.""---David Brooks, New York Times ""A sharp, well-researched critique aimed at politically active readers who want to better understand why people believe what they believe."" * Library Journal * ""A sharp, well-researched critique aimed at politically active readers who want to better understand why people believe what they believe."" * Library Journal * Author InformationMusa al-Gharbi is a sociologist and assistant professor in the School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook University. He is a columnist for The Guardian and his writing has also appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and The Atlantic, among other publications. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |