ABSTRACT

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses Henry Adams's autobiography in terms of Jurgen Habermas's analysis of the structural transformation of the bourgeois public sphere in late capitalism. It also discusses how pragmatism has captured American minds with its appeal to "can-do" spirit and the rhetoric of popular democracy. The book examines the changing role of intellectuals in relation to the public and how changing conceptualizations of literacy have historically been linked to social, economic, and political needs. The book argues that literacy is a tool for exposing the speculative or reflexive moment in education. It discusses how the concept of critical literacy with a positive intent can be incorporated into a concept of education organized around democratic standards that further the ideals of emancipation and free imagination for all.