Earl Shorris (Chicago, 25 June 1936 – New York City, 27 May 2012) was an American writer and

social critic Social criticism is a form of academic or journalistic criticism focusing on social issues in contemporary society, in particular with respect to perceived injustices and power relations in general. Social criticism of the Enlightenment The orig ...

. He is best known for establishing the Clemente Course in the Humanities, named after baseball great and humanitarian

Roberto Clemente Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker (; August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball right fielder who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates. After his early death, he was pos ...

. The Clemente Course is an "educational institution founded in 1995 to teach the humanities at the college level to people living in economic distress." He was critical of Western culture as "sliding towards

plutocracy A plutocracy () or plutarchy is a society that is ruled or controlled by people of great wealth or income. The first known use of the term in English dates from 1631. Unlike most political systems, plutocracy is not rooted in any establishe ...

and materialism." It promotes employment, personal agency and

social inclusion Social exclusion or social marginalisation is the social disadvantage and relegation to the fringe of society. It is a term that has been used widely in Europe and was first used in France in the late 20th century. It is used across discipline ...

building up "ideas of hope, meaning, and identity into the personal" lives and narratives of participants. Shorris published extensively on Mexico and Mexican history. Shorris made the acquaintance of

Miguel León-Portilla Miguel León-Portilla (22 February 1926 – 1 October 2019) was a Mexican anthropologist and historian, specializing in Aztec culture and literature of the pre-Columbian and colonial eras. Many of his works were translated to English and he was ...

, who published a widely-read anthology of accounts of the conquest of the Aztec Empire from Aztec viewpoints, ''The Broken Spears''. The two subsequently published an important anthology of

Mesoamerican literature The traditions of indigenous Mesoamerican literature extend back to the oldest-attested forms of early writing in the Mesoamerican region, which date from around the mid-1st millennium BCE. Many of the pre-Columbian cultures of Mesoamerica are ...

, bringing to a mass market the existence of significant body of writings by indigenous Mexicans. In 2000, Shorris was awarded the

National Humanities Medal The National Humanities Medal is an American award that annually recognizes several individuals, groups, or institutions for work that has "deepened the nation's understanding of the humanities, broadened our citizens' engagement with the human ...

Bibliography

*''The Death of the Great Spirit: An Elegy for the American Indian'' (1973) *''The Oppressed Middle : Politics of Middle Management : Scenes from Corporate Life'' Anchor Press/Doubleday (1981) *''A Nation of Salesmen: The Tyranny of the Market and the Subversion of Culture'' W. W. Norton (1994) *''Under the Fifth Sun: A Novel of Pancho Villa'' W. W. Norton (1980) *''Jews Without Mercy: A Lament'' Anchor Books/Doubleday (1982) *''Riches for the Poor: The Clemente Course in the Humanities'' W. W. Norton & Company (2000) *''In the Yucatan: A Novel'' W. W. Norton & Company (2000) *''In the Language of Kings: An Anthology of Mesoamerican Literature, Pre-Columbian to the Present'' (with

). W.W. Norton & Company 2002 *''The Life and Times of Mexico'' W. W. Norton & Company (2004) *''The Politics of Heaven: America in Fearful Times'' W. W. Norton & Company (2007) *''The Art of Freedom: Teaching the Humanities to the Poor'' W. W. Norton & Company (2013) *''American Vespers'' Harper's Magazine Dec. 2011

References

External links

The Clemente Course in the Humanities

interview with Shorris
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shorris, Earl 1936 births 2012 deaths Social critics American male writers National Humanities Medal recipients