We are at a moment of tremendous crisis, but at the same time one of opportunity. Now that manufacturers are leaving cities and suburbs in droves, what type of education should we be giving our children? With Affirmative Action seemingly on its last legs, how should black men and women organize to ensure that previous gains are sustained and built upon? How can citizens participate in the reconstruction of cities hit hard by economic restructuring?

I've sought to answer these and other questions related to politics, economics, and culture, not only in my research, but in lectures delivered across the country, from Los Angeles to Rhode Island. With the tremendous changes we are currently experiencing, I consider it the role of intellectuals to make sense of these changes for the wider public.