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Militarizing Culture is a rousing critique of the American warfare state by a leading cultural commentator. Roberto J. Gonz lez reveals troubling trends in the post-9/11 era, as the military industrial complex infiltrates new arenas of cultural life, from economic and educational arenas to family relationships. One of the nation’s foremost critics of the Human Terrain System program, Gonz lez makes passionate arguments against the engagement of social scientists and the use of anthropological theory and methods in military operations. Despite the pervasive presence of militarism and violence in our society, Gonz lez insists that warfare is not an inevitable part of human nature, and charts a path toward the decommissioning of culture.
"Militarizing Culture lives up to its title. This is an elegantly written, thoughtful, well-developed analysis of the US war machine and the problematic role of anthropology in supporting that machine. In this provocative collection of essays Roberto Gonzalez lays bare the controlling processes and legitimizing mechanisms that encourage the artistic, academic, and cultural embrace of militarism, and result in the societal-wide shattering of long-held taboos. In a world where violence is entertainment, torture is an acceptable norm, and academia is merely another means to achieve military ends, Gonzalez critically challenges his colleagues to consider their own individual and collective complicity. Rejecting the increased presence of "cultural mercenaries" and social science as "a tool kit for empire" he argues for an aggressive effort to demilitarize American society by exploding the myths that surround and perpetuate militarism. This provocative book is a must read."
- Barbara Rose Johnston, Senior Research Fellow, Center for Political Ecology
ISBN: 9781598745597
ISBN-10: 159874559X
Audience:
Professional
Format:
Hardcover
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 200
Published: 1st September 2010
Dimensions (cm): 22.9 x 15.2
x 1.8
Weight (kg): 0.408
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