Article Subjects and Geography: Biography

January 2026 (Volume 77, Number 8)

January 2026 (Volume 77, Number 8)

by The Editors

January 1, 2026

This month's "Notes from the Editors" celebrates the accomplishments of Michael Yates, who is retiring as editorial director of Monthly Review Press. Michael's books and articles have had a tremendous impact on the work of Monthly Review as a whole, and will be sorely missed. The editors also welcome the new editorial director of the Press, Arun Kundnani, an accomplished scholar who promises to carry on the MR tradition while bringing a fresh perspective to our collective efforts.
Bob McChesney: A Life Well Lived

Bob McChesney: A Life Well Lived

by Inger L. Stole

December 1, 2025

In this deeply personal essay, communication scholar Inger Stole shares with readers a glimpse into her life with Robert W. McChesney, her husband of 37 years. Stole reveals the depth of feeling with which McChesney approached all aspects of life, from his work as an intellectual and advocate to his role as a father and life partner.
A Democratic Socialist in Our Age

A Democratic Socialist in Our Age

by John Nichols

December 1, 2025

John Nichols, Robert W. McChesney's longtime collaborator and frequent coauthor, celebrates McChesney's near-clairvoyant thought and scholarship. Nichols notes that McChesney's impressive foresight enabled him to see the pitfalls of the digital age long before the Internet became a tool for the worst impulses of the elites under capitalism.
A Clarion Call for Communication Democracy

A Clarion Call for Communication Democracy

by Matthew Rothschild

December 1, 2025

Matthew Rothschild looks back on nearly 40 years working alongside his friend and colleague Robert W. McChesney. McChesney, he writes, brought to the world a sharp analysis of not only the contradiction between corporate media and democracy, but between the capitalist system as a whole and a true democracy that serves the people.
Be Realistic, Demand the Impossible

Be Realistic, Demand the Impossible

by Mandy Trögerand Sydney L. Forde

December 1, 2025

Mandy Tröger and Sydney L. Forde explore the impact that Robert W. McChesney's work has had on both the communication field and on their work as the new generation of scholars. "To honor [McChesney]," they write, "is not to look up in awe, but look out…toward the unfinished work of building a more democratic field and society."
Reinventing Local Journalism: Carrying Forward Bob McChesney’s Unfinished Project

Reinventing Local Journalism: Carrying Forward Bob McChesney’s Unfinished Project

by Victor Pickard

December 1, 2025

Victor Pickard celebrates the passion and clarity that Robert W. McChesney brought to his work as an author, media advocate, and founder of Free Press—and in particular, McChesney's bold proposals for a publicly funded and democratic model of local journalism designed to serve communities, rather than corporate interests.
The Anti-Monopolist

The Anti-Monopolist

by Knute Berger

December 1, 2025

In this reprint of a Seattle Weekly article from 2004, Knute Berger details a game of Monopoly played among friends, including Robert W. McChesney and John Bellamy Foster, while students at The Evergreen College. With sly insight, Berger shows how Foster and McChesney's antics as board game robber barons revealed McChesney's perceptive analysis of the media landscape under capitalism and his passionate advocacy for democratic, monopoly-free media.
Tributes to Robert W. McChesney

Tributes to Robert W. McChesney

by Noam Chomsky, Bernie Sanders, Jeff Cohen, Susan J. Douglas, Janine Jackson, Ralph Nader, Geoffrey Rothwell, Mari Jo & Paul Buhleand Linda Gordon & Allen Hunter

December 1, 2025

To conclude our special issue on Robert W. McChesney's legacy, MR presents a series of tributes capturing his impact on the world around him. The diversity represented by these illustrious contributors, from his colleagues at the media watch group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) to Senator Bernie Sanders, is a testament to McChesney's enduring influence.

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