| Summary: |
Given the fact that Robert Babe’s scholarship is ongoing, the reader
might well ask the question, ‘Why publish this collection now?’ In
response, let us place his work in three contexts: its influence on both
policymaking and the academy; its timeliness in light of contemporary
economic and cultural developments; and, finally, its place as a reflection
and representation of Canada’s uniquely historical, holistic, and
dialectical approach to both social science and societal concerns.
For many years, Babe’s contributions to political economy, telecommunications
policy, ecological studies, and media theory have been
widely recognized. The status and accomplishments of this volume’s
contributors itself underlines the extraordinary range and influence
of his scholarship. Indeed, this collection’s publication reflects Babe’s
standing in the academy and, more importantly, it presents, for the first
time, his otherwise disparate writings as a coherent, developing body
of work.
In historical terms, the timeliness of this collection is underlined by
the contemporary collapse of neoliberalism and what, at this juncture,
appears to be the beginning of an important shift in both economic
thinking and public policy. As of 2011, decades of pro–free market regulations
have intensified contradictions long recognized by Babe: unsustainable
here-and-now cultural practices that have emerged alongside
mass indebtedness and environmental decay. Thus, in the context of the
contemporary crisis, this review of Babe’s varied critical assessments
coincides with efforts by political leaders, academics, and activists to
construct new ways of organizing social-economic relations. Babe’s
work illuminates both past mistakes and future opportunities. In this
regard, this collection is prescient
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