Empire Of Illusion: The End Of Literacy And The Triumph Of Spectacle

Chris Hedges is a journalist, writer, minister, and visiting professor at Princeton University. Hedges has a long history of political activism, having been arrested several times throughout his career for protests against the war in Afghanistan and against the corporatization of the United States government. In his work as a professor, he has conducted classes comprised of both undergraduates and prison inmates, and he has been a long-time critic of mass incarceration. Hedges has also taught many classes within the prison system in New Jersey. With access to students both at elite institutions such Princeton and students serving time in prison, Hedges is uniquely qualified to assess the state of both the American educational system and the American approach to incarceration as he does in Empire of Illusion.

Hedges identifies politically as a socialist. He was an outspoken critic of the Iraq War, and he has fought against the encroachment of corporate power throughout his career. These experiences have shaped his writing of Empire of Illusion, which condemns universities, citizens, and the U.S. government alike for submitting to the abuses of power inflicted by corporations.

Hedges’ education as a minister likewise informs his moral stances through Empire of Illusion. He asserts, for example, that the U.S. faces a severe crisis of faith in addition to its economic challenges. With his experiences as a journalist, an educator, and a religious leader, Hedges is well-positioned to comment on the problems facing the United States.

Hedges was born in Vermont in 1956, and he attended Colgate University and Harvard Divinity School. He has written several books, including War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning (2002), which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction, Death of the Liberal Class (2010), Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt (2012), and America: The Farewell Tour (2018). He has also written for Truthdig, The Christian Science Monitor, NPR, and The New York Times. In 2002, Hedges was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his work at The New York Times. In addition to teaching at Princeton, Hedges has also taught at Columbia University, New York University, and the University of Toronto.