The goal of The Public Intellectuals Project is to provide a forum for students to communicate ideas, engage in dialogue, and support higher education and other cultural spheres as vital places to think and act collectively in the face of a growing crisis of shared public values and meaningful democratic participation.

We believe…

Public educational institutions—and the intellectuals they support—have an important role in developing the formative cultures and pedagogical practices necessary for preparing people to be critical thinkers and engaged citizens, especially given the challenging economic and social realities of the twenty-first century.

It is imperative that everyone—but especially those who work within public universities and colleges—acknowledge a deep commitment to participate in public life and address important social problems.

The future of public education and genuine democracy are intertwined. If democracy is going to have a future, let alone a global one, it depends on everyone’s capacity to access critical education, develop a sense of agency, form collective networks, and generate a new public culture that can resist the domination of market-driven neoliberal forces.

Project Director: Henry A. Giroux

Managing Director: Zachary Gan

This project is supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.