Gender, decolonization, privilege, fat-shaming. Having migrated from academic articles into everyday speech, these words increasingly influence our perception of the world. But where did they come from? They originate from the proliferation of critical theories that emerged during the postmodern turn with its problematization of power, knowledge, and truth. Nothing—from sex and history textbooks to medical diagnoses and architecture—can escape the attention of activists on a mission to expose and destroy all forms of oppression.

Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay believe that, despite the good intentions of making the world a little more just, critical theories, with their almost religious zeal and black-and-white perception of the world, pose a threat to both the academy and society.

'Cynical Theories' is a painstaking and lively analysis of the main tenets of 'activist scholarship,' its internal logic and contradictions. This book will help you immerse yourself in the contemporary intellectual context, understand the motivations behind the culture wars, and avoid getting lost in debates on elusive topics.

Author: Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay
Publishing House: Individuum
Year: 2021.0
Number of pages: 384.0
Cover type: Paperback
Translator: Dmitry Vinogradov
Age group: 18+