Stalking Sociologists - J. Edgar Hoover's FBI Surveillance of American Sociology (Paperback, New)

Until recent years, the Federal Bureau of Investigation enjoyed an exalted reputation as America's premier crime-fighting organization. However, it is now common knowledge that the FBI and its long-time director, J. Edgar Hoover, were responsible for the creation of a massive internal security apparatus that undermined the very principles of freedom and democracy they were sworn to protect. While no one was above suspicion, Hoover appears to have held a special disdain for sociologists and placed many of the profession's most prominent figures under surveillance. In "Stalking Sociologists," Mike Forrest Keen offers a detailed account of the FBI's investigations within the context of an overview of the history of American sociology.
This ground-breaking analysis history uses documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. Keen argues that Hoover and the FBI marginalized sociologists such as W. E. B. Du Bois and C. Wright Mills, tried to suppress the development of a Marxist tradition in American sociology, and likely pushed the mainstream of the discipline away from a critique of American society and towards a more quantitative and scientific direction. He documents thousands of man-hours and millions of dollars dedicated to this project. Faculty members of various departments of sociology were recruited to inform on the activities of their colleagues and the American Sociological Association was a target of FBI surveillance. Keen turns sociology back upon the FBI, using the writings and ideas of the very sociologists Hoover investigated to examine and explain the excesses of the Bureau and its boss. The result is a significant contribution to the collective memory of American society as well as the accurate history of the sociological discipline.
"This ground-breaking book documents in meticulous detail decades of harassment and surveillance of major American sociologists by the FBI. The misuse of power...will outrage all Americans and raise significant professional issues within the social sciences."--Mary Jo Deegan, professor of sociology, University of Nebraska
Mike Forrest Keen is professor in the department of sociology at Indiana University South Bend. His previous work includes numerous scholarly articles and "Eastern Europe in Transformation: The Impact on Sociology," edited with Janusz L. Mucha.

General

Imprint:	Transaction Publishers
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Release date:	October 2003
First published:	2004
Authors:	Ren ee C Fox
Dimensions:	229 x 152 x 17mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback
Pages:	274
Edition:	New
ISBN-13:	978-0-7658-0563-8
Categories:	Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > General Books > Humanities > History > American history > General Books > Humanities > History > History of specific subjects > General Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political ideologies > Marxism & Communism Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > International relations > Espionage & secret services Books > Humanities > History > World history > From 1900 > General Books > History > American history > General Books > History > History of specific subjects > General Books > History > World history > From 1900 > General
LSN:	0-7658-0563-4
Barcode:	9780765805638

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