Stories by Robert Jensen

Robert Jensen is a journalism professor at the University of Texas at Austin and board member of the Third Coast Activist Resource Center. His latest book is 'All My Bones Shake: Radical Politics in the Prophetic Voice' (Soft Skull Press). He is also the author of 'Getting Off: Pornography and the End of Masculinity' (South End Press). subscribe to Robert Jensen's feed

No Thanks for Thanksgiving

Posted on: Nov 21, 2012, Source: AlterNet

Instead, we should atone for the genocide that was incited -- and condoned -- by the very men we idolize as our 'heroic' founding fathers.

Hope Is For The Lazy: The Challenge Of Our Dead World

Posted on: Jul 11, 2012, Source: AlterNet

To reclaim hope, we need to look beyond the structures and systems of a world that's passing away, and dare to create something better.

The Plow and the iPhone: The Conservative Delusion About Government's Role in Innovation

Posted on: Feb 15, 2012, Source: TruthOut.org

Conservatives deny that government has any role at all in sparking technology innovation. Here's why they're wrong.

A Decade of Delusion

Posted on: Sep 9, 2011, Source: Al Jazeera English

Ten years after the 9/11 attacks, US foreign policy remains aggressive and unrealistic.

The Painful Collapse of Empire: How the "American Dream" and American Exceptionalism Wreck Havoc on the World

Posted on: Jun 27, 2011, Source: The Smirking Chimp

We must tell the truth about the domination that is at the heart of the American Dream so that we may face the brokenness of our world.

No Thanks to Thanksgiving

Posted on: Nov 25, 2010, Source: AlterNet

We should atone for the genocide that was incited -- and condoned -- by the very men we idolize as our 'heroic' founding fathers.

What White People Fear

Posted on: Mar 18, 2010, Source: YES! Magazine

Understanding the fears behind the racial politics of both conservative and liberal whites can help change a society in which wealth and well-being are still tied to race.

Must-Watch TV Makes Bad Journalism: Media Failures in Haiti Coverage

Posted on: Jan 26, 2010, Source: AlterNet

We're seeing it live an upfront with Haiti: TV news routinely falls into the trap of emphasizing visually compelling and dramatic stories at the expense of crucial information.

Can Engaging with a Radical Religion Help Save Progressives from Self-Indulgence?

Posted on: Jul 2, 2009, Source: Soft Skull Press

To imagine a just and sustainable world, we need not just a politics but a theology that can help us face our delusional arrogance.

Is America on the Brink of a Food Crisis?

Posted on: Jan 28, 2009, Source: AlterNet

If we continue our offenses against the land, we will have a problem far more complex than the failure of our economy.

No Thanks to Thanksgiving

Posted on: Nov 26, 2008, Source: AlterNet

Instead, we should atone for the genocide that was incited -- and condoned -- by the very men we idolize as our 'heroic' founding fathers.

Porn's Dirty, Dangerous Secret

Posted on: Oct 20, 2008, Source: Last Exit

There are a finite number of ways that human bodies can fit together. So pornmakers resort to sexualizing degradation to stay "cutting edge."

Canadian Media Giant Attacks Free Speech

Posted on: Sep 22, 2008, Source: AlterNet

The corporation is suing a band of media activists for a satire of one of its newspapers.

The Delusion Revolution: We're on the Road to Extinction and in Denial

Posted on: Aug 14, 2008, Source: AlterNet

Our current way of life is unsustainable. We are the first species that will have to self-consciously impose limits on ourselves if we are to survive.

The Sorrows of Race and Gender in the 2008 Election

Posted on: May 29, 2008, Source: AlterNet

Much of what made progressive movements great has been lost in America's pathological entitlement, exceptionalism, and imperialism.

Why We Shouldn't Celebrate Thanksgiving

Posted on: Nov 21, 2007, Source: AlterNet

Thanksgiving Day should be turned into a National Day of Atonement to acknowledge the genocide of America's indigenous peoples.

Does Porn Make the Man?

Posted on: Nov 16, 2007, Source: South End Press

Most men have, at some point, feared not being masculine enough, especially in the bedroom. Pornography speaks to that fear.

The Reality of Race: Is the Problem That White People Don't Know or Don't Care?

Posted on: Jul 13, 2007, Source: AlterNet

A recent study exploring white peoples' understanding of the black experience in America reveals that whites still drastically underestimate the cost of being black because they don't want to know or can't face the consequences.

A Call for an Open Discussion of Mass-Marketed Pornography

Posted on: Feb 9, 2007, Source: AlterNet

The fear of anything resembling censorship prevents us from confronting what pornography tells us about the cruelty of our culture, and the white supremacy and misogyny that abounds in America.

No Thanks to Thanksgiving

Posted on: Nov 22, 2006, Source: AlterNet

Instead, we should atone for the genocide that was incited -- and condoned -- by the very men we idolize as our 'heroic' founding fathers.

The High Cost of Manliness

Posted on: Sep 7, 2006, Source: AlterNet

Society's toxic view of masculinity isn't just harmful to men. Everyone pays the price.

Race Is Always Part of the Story

Posted on: Jul 24, 2006, Source: AlterNet

Many white people's accomplishments are made possible, in part, simply because they are white.

Why White People Are Afraid

Posted on: Jun 6, 2006, Source: AlterNet

What do white people have to be afraid of in a world structured on white privilege? Their own fears.

Why I Am a Christian (Sort Of)

Posted on: Mar 9, 2006, Source: AlterNet

My decision to join a church was more a political than a theological act.

The Failure of the First Amendment

Posted on: Mar 1, 2006, Source: AlterNet

A new book explains why the traditional idea of "free speech" is ill-equipped to deal with the latest threats to personal liberty.

A Dangerous Professor Speaks

Posted on: Feb 9, 2006, Source: AlterNet

I'm not rabid; I'm a sedate, nondescript middle-aged academic who tries to approach political and moral questions rationally.

No Thanks to Thanksgiving

Posted on: Nov 22, 2005, Source: AlterNet

Instead, we should atone for the genocide that was incited -- and condoned -- by the very men we idolize as our 'heroic' founding fathers.

Empathy is the First Ingredient

Posted on: Sep 30, 2005, Source: The Progressive

Acclaimed Texas folk singer Eliza Gilkyson is a unique combination of heart, soul and progressive political vision.

White People's Burden

Posted on: Aug 30, 2005, Source: AlterNet

It's time for white Americans to fully acknowledge that in the racial arena, they are the problem.

Adrift in Scarborough Country

Posted on: May 20, 2005, Source: AlterNet

After a confrontation with Brent Bozell, the author is invited back to present evidence on a shout-TV program -- or so he thought.

Scapegoating Newsweek

Posted on: May 17, 2005, Source: AlterNet

Blaming <i>Newsweek</i> for a journalistic foul is just, but blaming them for 17 deaths and America's image overseas is just plain wrong.

Nurturing Iraq's Non-Election

Posted on: Jan 27, 2005, Source: AlterNet

To pretend that the U.S. might want true democracy in Iraq &#8211; one that actually would be free to follow the will of the people &#8211; is to ignore evidence, logic and history.

India's Mega-Dams: Temples Or Burial Grounds?

Posted on: Sep 21, 2004, Source: AlterNet

India is intent on building large dams even as other nations decommission them. In the Narmada Valley, these dams are responsible for flooding vast areas and displacing hundreds of thousands of peasants and tribal people.

Hijacking Catastrophe

Posted on: Sep 14, 2004, Source: WorkingForChange.com

A new documentary earns kudos from major newspapers for doing the kind of reporting they failed to offer to their readers.

Personal Voices: The Good White People

Posted on: May 3, 2004, Source: AlterNet

On a panel about racism, the author finds himself feeling uncomfortable illusions of superiority.

Victims of World Bank Policies Remembered

Posted on: Apr 22, 2004, Source: AlterNet

The World Bank casts itself as the new champion of the downtrodden, but experience shows otherwise. Three people launch a hunger strike this weekend to commemorate those forgotten.

Real Hope Is Radical

Posted on: Apr 7, 2004, Source: AlterNet

A new book explains the difference between hope and optimism and critique and cynicism, and why joy is part of the collective political struggle.

Damn the Dams: An Interview with Medha Patkar

Posted on: Feb 24, 2004, Source: AlterNet

India's dams fail to deliver on promises -- but they do bring plenty of displacement, unemployment, and environmental degradation.

Where Agriculture Meets Empire

Posted on: Jun 30, 2003, Source: AlterNet

Land Institute president Wes Jackson explores the intersection of science and society, agronomy and ecology, culture and politics.

Subverted Propaganda

Posted on: Jun 3, 2003, Source: AlterNet

A new book of 'remixed' war posters is one of the most creative efforts to come out of the opposition to the Iraq war.

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