Speaking Truth to Power: Public Intellectuals Rethink New Zealand

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1869403797 ISBN 13: 9781869403799

Publisher: Auckland University Press, 2007

Addressing the topic of public intellectuals in New Zealand, this collection illuminates the rich, complex lives of the thinkers who influence public life even as the public scorns them and their “ivory towers.” New Zealand, a country regarded by some—within and beyond its borders—as anti-intellectual, actually has a strong tradition of so-called “eggheads” who have offered their input to public policy for the betterment of all. The book features interviews from leading intellectuals, including Brian Easton, Jane Kelsey, Marilyn Waring, and the late Michael King, as well as revealing essays from the book’s authors. With its revelations of the people who live the life of the mind, this work gives recognition to an important, if often rejected, group of opinionated thinkers.

About the Author:

Laurence Simmons is an associate professor at the University of Auckland. He has conducted fellowships and residencies at UC Santa Barbara, SUNY Stony Brook, and Cambridge University and is the author of Baudrillard West of the Dateline, From Z to A, and The Image Always Has the Last Word. Roger Horrocks is the former head of the department of media studies at the University of Auckland and the deputy chairperson of New Zealand’s broadcasting commission. Andrew Sharp is a retired professor of political studies. He is the author of The English Levellers, Justice and the Maori, and The Political Ideas of the English Civil Wars. Stephen Turner is a lecturer in the English department of the University of Auckland.

Review:

"Simmon's book creates strong connections between intellectual and broader community life."  —Australian Humanities Review

"This is a fascinating collection of thoughts and points of view that offers great insight into the state of New Zealand under neo-liberalism."  —Political Science