Citizenship, Culture and the masses: Raymond Williams and the New York intellectuals

Abstract

This text discusses the centrality of the concept of mass to discuss Raymond Williams and a tradition of intellectuals interested in this question, as well as the importance of discussing "the masses" as a problem and crisis of our day. The theoretical balance presented here brings unpublished records relating Raymond Williams, Hannah Arendt and other authors, and presents the emphasis that Williams gave to the debate on totalitarian manifestations linked to governments supposedly defenders of culture, citizenship and democracy.