Zusammenfassung
How do individuals in our country converse about thorny political matters? We know that these kinds of discussions can be fraught, but there are ways that the conversations can be thoughtful and civil. In this book, ways to ensure civil conversations are explored deeply. A major thrust of the book is that the library (writ large) can be the locus for informed conversations, typified by evidence and truth. We begin with a description of the library—what it is, what purposes it can serve, what contributions it can make to civil discourse. As we will see, the theme of liberty runs throughout the commentary.
Another chapter explores what discourse is, how discourse theory can inform civil conversations, and what kinds of discursive practices achieve the goal of civility. This is, admittedly, a tall order, but it is absolutely necessary to fulfill the promise of the book. The chapter further presents examples of topics that are components of political conversations today, as well as substantive sources that can inform those conversations. The final chapter returns to the library. The spirit and substance of providing a venue for civil conversation are discussed at some length. The conclusion presents how the library can be the exemplar for civil conversation. The audience for the book is not limited to librarians, but extends to all who are interested in, and committed to, reasoned discussion of the political issues that divide us today. Examples of topics of conversation conclude the last chapter. The purpose is to illustrate just how the fraught topics can be discussed in a civil and considered manner. The ultimate purpose of the book is to present a realistic manner by which political conversations can take place, fostered by libraries.
Schlagworte
Liberalism Climate Change nationalism Phenomenology Conservatism political discourse Libraries library programming Public libraries Library MissionKeywords
capitalism populism discourse analysis- Kapitel Ausklappen | EinklappenSeiten
- 1–18 Introduction 1–18
- 189–192 Index 189–192
- 193–194 About the Author 193–194