Keeping Faith 保持信念

KeepingFaithistherichestaccountavailableoftheworkofCornelWest,oneoftoday'sleadingAfricanAmericanintellectuals.ThispowerfulcollectionofessaysrangeswidelyacrosspoliticsandphilosophyinAmerica,theroleoftheblackintellectual,legaltheoryandthefutureofliberalthought,andthefateofAfricanAmericans.InWest'shandsissuesofraceandfreedomareinextricablytiedtoquestionsofphilosophyand,aboveall,toabeliefinthepowerofthehumanspirit.WestsituatesthecurrentpositionofAfricanAmericans,tracingthegenealogyofthe"Afro-AmericanRebellion"fromMartinLutherKingtotheriseofblackrevolutionaryleftists.Heexplainsboththeopportunitiesandlimitationsofliberalismandnationalism,andoffersstrategiesforanewgenerationofAfricanAmericans.WestinsiststhatAfricanAmericanoppressionbeunderstoodwithinthelargercrisesofNorthAtlanticcivilization.Whilemaintainingthespecificityofblackidentityandresistance,heprovocativelysuggestsallianceswithotherintellectualandcommunalformsofAmericanradicalism.Writingon"thenewculturalpoliticsofdifference,"thecriticallegalstudiesmovement,Americanpragmatism,orraceandsocialtheory,Westsustainsthedifficultbalancebetweenasubtlyarguedcritiqueofthepastandpresent,andabroadlyconceived,daringvisionofthefuture.