Includes bibliographical references and index.

The Sokal hoax for beginners -- The return of realism and the future of contingency -- Of fine clothes and naked emperors -- The utility of the arts and humanities -- There is nothing inside the text; or, why no one's heard of Wolfgang Iser -- Citizens of the world, unite: Martha Nussbaum's plan for cultivating humanity -- American studies without exceptions -- Idolatries of the marketplace: Thomas Frank, cultural studies, and the voice of the people -- Days of future past -- Teaching to the six -- Working for the U: on the thetoric of "affiliation" -- Dream a little dream -- Professing and parenting -- Speaking of speakers -- Universities should be open for business -- Analyze, don't summarize -- The top 10 contradictory things about popular culture -- The Elvis Costello problem -- The lefts before 21 September -- Nation and narration -- Can the left get Iraq right? -- For a better and broader antiwar movement -- Fighting liberals -- The loyalties of American studies -- Azkaban blogging -- Back in les États-Unis -- Vacation reading II -- Republican National Convention, second night -- More plans for democrats in distress -- The Beinart effect -- Theory Tuesday II -- Theory Tuesday III -- Was I ever wrong

Electronic reproduction. Palo Alto, Calif. : ebrary, 2009. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ebrary affiliated libraries.