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Landscape of American Thought: PHIL 0824

General Education Course

Public intellectuals and the popular press

The thinkers you are studying this semester are / were public intellectuals. They not only write / wrote works that other scholars study and critique but also directly engage / engaged in many of the public social, economic, and political debates of their own time.

This assignment asks you to explore the popular literature (newspapers / magazines) to learn more about one of these public intellectuals. (To learn the difference between popular and scholarly literature, go here.) 

The purpose is to enrich your understanding of the political, social, and cultural milieu in which these public intellectuals lived and worked.

Here are some questions to consider while searching the popular literature related to your philosopher of interest:

  • What were some of the major events engaging the public during this period?
  • How did this individual's reputation change during his / her lifetime, or posthumously?
  • Are there aspects of this thinker's public activities and positions that conflict or contradict with his / her philosophical postitions?
  • How is your own understanding of this individual different from that of his contemporaries?
  • How does listening to these other voices deepen your understanding of this intellectual?

Search Tips Tutorial

Biography / Backgrounds

Learn background information about authors' lives and works. Pick up ideas and keywords for searching.

Research Databases

How do I find information on a publication?

1) In Proquest databases, click on the Citation/Abstract of a record, then click on the link to the publication. 

2) For magazines and newspapers that still exist, check out their web sites.

3) Wikipedia is often a good place to get information on a publication, but double-check the information by looking elsewhere as well.