What's the Word? Women Public Intellectuals

From: Modern Language Association
Series: What' s the Word? - A series of half-hour programs to celebrate Women's History Month in March
Length: 29:45

While men of letters have traditionally achieved the influential position of public intellectual, in the twentieth century a number of important women took on the same role. Read the full description.

Piece Audio

Playing: What's the Word? Women Public Intellectuals
From: Modern Language Association

Beauvoirf04_small While men of letters have traditionally achieved the influential position of public intellectual, in the twentieth century a number of important women took on the same role. What influenced them to speak out in the public sphere? And how did they develop their voices? Susan Fraiman discusses the work of Susan Sontag -- "The public intellectual is someone who engages with the world and speaks to urgent contemporary issues, and Sontag really did that..."; Margaret Simons talks about the work of Simone de Beauvoir --"Simone de Beauvoir is probably best known to American audiences as the author of The Second Sex..."; and Liliane Weissberg explores the writings of Hannah Arendt --"Hannah Arendt is arguably one of the most important philosophers of the twentieth century." Fifteen- and thirty-second promos available. If you are interested in this, see our pieces at: http://prx.org/pieces/16877 What's the Word? Elizabeth I and Victoria http://prx.org/pieces/16919 What's the Word? Pride and Prejudice http://prx.org/pieces/16838 What's the Word? Medieval Women http://prx.org/pieces/16840 What's the Word? Women Warriors http://prx.org/pieces/17295 What's the Word? Women Public Intellectuals Photo: courtesy of University of Illinois Press

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Piece Description

While men of letters have traditionally achieved the influential position of public intellectual, in the twentieth century a number of important women took on the same role. What influenced them to speak out in the public sphere? And how did they develop their voices? Susan Fraiman discusses the work of Susan Sontag -- "The public intellectual is someone who engages with the world and speaks to urgent contemporary issues, and Sontag really did that..."; Margaret Simons talks about the work of Simone de Beauvoir --"Simone de Beauvoir is probably best known to American audiences as the author of The Second Sex..."; and Liliane Weissberg explores the writings of Hannah Arendt --"Hannah Arendt is arguably one of the most important philosophers of the twentieth century." Fifteen- and thirty-second promos available. If you are interested in this, see our pieces at: http://prx.org/pieces/16877 What's the Word? Elizabeth I and Victoria http://prx.org/pieces/16919 What's the Word? Pride and Prejudice http://prx.org/pieces/16838 What's the Word? Medieval Women http://prx.org/pieces/16840 What's the Word? Women Warriors http://prx.org/pieces/17295 What's the Word? Women Public Intellectuals Photo: courtesy of University of Illinois Press