José Ingenieros Yesterday and Today, Critical Readings

Preface

Adrian Scribano

Introduction: Jose Ingenieros, A Short Companion

1. The Question of Social Identity: Among Two Worlds

2. Collective Psychology

3. The Dilemma of Socialism: Opportunity or Decline?

4. On Democracy

5. Why Ingenieros, Why Now? May I Offer Concluding Remarks?

Epilogue

Biography

Maximiliano E. Korstanje is Reader at Economics Faculty, University of Palermo, Argentina. He is a cultural theorist who has studied the mobilities theory, tourism, migration, terrorism, and political violence in Western democracies. His recent books include Terrorism, Tourism and the end of Hospitality in the West (2017), The Challenges of Democracy in the War on Terror: The Liberal State Before the Advance of Terrorism (2018), Mobilities Paradox: A Critical Analysis (2018), Populism and Postcolonialism (2019), and Terrorism, Technology and Apocalyptic Future (2019).

"Prof. Korstanje delineates how who we wish to become is reflexive of historical forces that confound human agency. This is a timely interrogation of how modernity carries compelling issues of social identity back to theoretical ponderings that join the history of Argentina social theory to contemporary issues."

David L. Altheide, Regents’ Professor Emeritus, Arizona State University, USA

"Dr. Maximiliano E. Korstanje (Max) once again insightfully captures our attention to the increasing social radicalism, which he justifiably called the "absurd cultural Marxism conspiracy theory" (CMCT). Max includes examples of CMCT across several countries. CMCT refers to a conservative right-wing political group. CMCT groups try to undermine democratic and liberal systems by disrupting society. CMCT disrupts societies by championing absurd social causes, intended to confuse as well as further polarize everyone, including but not limited to legalizing human organ commercial selling, promoting prostitution but prohibiting abortion, restricting religious beliefs, denying climate change, and degrading human rights (especially to cultural ethnic minorities). CMCT can be orchestrated through intense radicalism, such as the Palestinian-based Hamas killing of thousands of people in Israel near the Gaza Strip in October 2023 (including visiting U.S. citizens and tourists from other countries)."

Kenneth D. Strang, SUNY at Plattsburgh, USA

"An insightful journey by Maximiliano Kostranje into the challenges facing Western democracies, this work delves deep into the intersections of climate change, migration, and global politics. A must-read for those seeking understanding in these tumultuous times. Korstanje's epilogue on Argentina's political landscape adds another layer, highlighting the ripple effects of global crises on local politics."

Prof. Narasimha Rao Vajjhala, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, University of New York Tirana,  Albania

"Throughout his prolific career, Maximiliano Korstanje has always bridged the divide between North and South, global and local, science and the humanities, modern and ancient. In this new work, he applies lessons from the writings of José Ingenieros, the August Comte of Argentina, to address the challenges for democratic governance posed by a world where terrorism, war, ideological extremism and conspiracy theories, mass migration and refugee flows, economic crises and climate change are all contributing to an increasingly unstable world order."

Ronald Crelinsten, Associate Fellow, University of Victoria, Canada