Introduction

Assessing the contemporary relevance of a given theorist is a difficult task, particularly when they reach such a level of popular and intellectual notoriety as to be characterized in a major motion picture. ¹ This is especially so when considering Herbert Marcuse. His seminal work, One-Dimensional Man, found purchase in the zeitgeist of the late 1960s, and he has since been subjected to multiple treatments across the left academy and right wing press. ² While his work has been established as a mainstay in critical theory, any contemporary assessment must go beyond mere reconsideration of a theorist holding a place in the cannon. This special issue explores his contemporary relevance and finds it alive and well, vibrant across multiple fields of inquiry across many areas of social relations.