Thursday, February 19, 2015

How does the book Race Matters, by Cornel West, compare to Real American Ethics, by Albert Borgmann?

Race Matters, by American writer, lecturer, and professor Cornel West, as suggested by the title, is an analysis of a specific social issue in the United States: race. Real American Ethics: Taking Responsibility for Our Country, by Albert Borgmann, offers a more general and broad perspective on the various social issues of the United States.
Borgmann's book also explores the philosophical elements of American "morality," whereas West's essays offer a variety of pragmatic examples of systemic racism in the United States.
While both books articulate economic theories that contribute to either racism or materialism, respectively, Borgmann's book features a larger portion of economic theories. In fact, one could argue that one of the primary theses of Real American Ethics is the capitalistic evolution of American society and how it has contributed to the disintegration of traditional American values.
Race Matters is one of Cornel West's most popular and critically acclaimed books, and its theses are recurring topics in the author's other writings and public speaking engagements. West's and Borgmann's books are both critical of American society and how academia has failed to explore America's political and social issues in depth. For instance, many American high school history textbooks offer simplified versions of slavery, economic depressions, race relations, war, poverty, and other complex issues.
https://dof.princeton.edu/sites/dof/files/Cornel%20R%20West%202012%20Book.pdf

https://pages.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/kellner/essays/reviewofborgmann.pdf

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