Hall’s essays were conceived for the moment rather than for the academy

Evidence

The essays published here represent a number of Stuart Hall’s better-known reflections on intellectual life and politics, which, for many of us, still live in the mind. They derive from a long period, over many years. Each is written with verve and a sense of urgency. They are, properly, essays—conceived for the moment. They have a life of their own, having shaped to varying degrees the intellectual landscape that remains our own. On these terms, they should be judged. — Stuart Hall, Essential Essays, Volume 2, 8