In 1958, British sociologist Michael Young wrote a dystopian satirical novel called The Rise of the Meritocracy. The book skewered standardized testing and credentialing, imagining how elites could employ them to secure corruptive power. Young’s book was popular but his arrows missed their mark. The novel helped to speed meritocracy’s presence in the zeitgeist, for…
Tag: politics
Unpacking Rural Resentment
Understand Wisconsin politics and understanding American politics becomes possible. The “badger state” is a fascinating mix of people, cultures and economies, from industrial to rural. Democrats, Republicans (the party was started in Wisconsin), progressives, socialists and many other groups from across the political spectrum have won office in Wisconsin. From 2011 to 2019, Scott Walker…
Past Imperfect, Past Excellent – Tony Judt
In the late 1980s I completed a M.A. at New York University. My sense of disciplinary distinctions was not strong, foreshadowing other problems I’ve experienced staying within the lines. Interested in politics and history, my first course was comparative political science. It was not a good fit. Checking out the book store and course syllabi,…