The New Imperial Challenge

How do people acquire knowledge and understanding of the world they are in? Who has access to the resources and maps facilitating research and debate? How is power mobilised to shape ideas and ideologies? Socialist Register 2006 considers contemporary debate, policy-making, research, education, and scientific practice generally, and examines the role of the state in intellectual life, the press and the media. It investigates the management of scientific publications, the role of the internet, and the influence of foundations, think-tanks, political parties and the World Bank. What standards of integrity exist? How important are new intellectual currents? (including post-modernism) and what are their effects and after-effects? It investigates the quality of thought and ideas, the extent of freedom for critical and heterodox thought, and the formation of new intellectual cadres.