Legislators and Interpreters

What is the role of intellectuals in the modern world? How does intellectual work connect to modern cultural development as a whole? Bauman answers these questions through a discussion of the nature of modernism and post-modernism in the analysis of culture.

During the period at which it was assumed that there were ready ways of assessing the truth of beliefs, intellectuals used to 'legislate' about opinions for the rest of the community. But today, in the period of post-modernism, there are many competing value-systems and beliefs. Intellectuals today become 'interpreters', representing different standpoints in relation to one another. In brilliant and telling fashion, Bauman draws out the implications of this change for contemporary cultural analysis.

This book will be of basic interest to students and professionals in cultural studies, sociology, politics and the history of ideas.