The Inclusion of the Other: Studies in Political Theory (Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought) [Paperback]

Jürgen Habermas (Author), Ciaran P. Cronin (Editor), Pablo de De Greiff (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0262581868 | ISBN-13: 978-0262581868 | Publication Date: January 31, 2000

edited by Ciaran Cronin and Pablo De Greiff Since its appearance in English translation in 1996, Jürgen Habermas's Between Facts and Norms has become the focus of a productive dialogue between German and Anglo-American legal and political theorists. The present volume contains ten essays that provide an overview of Habermas's political thought since the original appearance of Between Facts and Norms in 1992 and extend his model of deliberative democracy in novel ways to issues untreated in the earlier work.Habermas's theory of democracy has at least three features that set it apart from competing positions. First, it combines a concern with questions of normative justification with an empirical analysis of the social conditions necessary for the realization of democratic institutions. Second, at the heart of his model is the assertion of an internal relationship between liberalism and democracy. On this account, the rights of the individual that are central to liberalism can be guaranteed only within a constitutional framework that at the same time fosters democratic rights of political participation through the public sphere. Finally, Habermas defends a conception of universal human rights that is not only sensitive to cultural differences but also calls for legal and political institutions that facilitate the cultivation of cultural and religious identities within pluralistic societies.These essays demonstrate the extraordinary power of Habermas's theory of democracy through a further engagement with Rawls's political liberalism and through original contributions to current debates over nationalism, multiculturalism, and the viability of supranational political institutions.

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Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Jürgen Habermas is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Frankfurt and Professor of Philosophy at Northwestern University. He was recently awarded the 2004 Kyoto Prize for Arts and Philosophy by the Inamori Foundation. The Kyoto Prize is an international award to honor those who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural, and spiritual betterment of mankind.

Ciaran Cronin is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and of German at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Pablo De Greiff is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Buffalo and Research Director of the International Center for Transitional Justice.

Product Details

• Paperback: 338 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press (January 31, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262581868
• ISBN-13: 978-0262581868
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #334,501 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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This review is from: The Inclusion of the Other: Studies in Political Theory (Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought) (Paperback)

After his major work on legal theory (Between Facts and Norms), Jürgen Habermas revisits some of the hottest issues on metaethics, political theory and moral philosophy. The book is nicely divided in five parts. The first is the most specialized one. Habermas offers an exciting contribution to metaethics. As readers might know, most disputes in contemporary metaethics revolve around the question whether we could find a cognitive basis for "first principles" or "values", or what is the same, whether there is an objective ground for things like human rights and principles like those of liberty and equality. By means of reflecting on his discursive ethics (the main insight of which is that standards of right are to be related to the necessary assumptions which we make each and every time we enter into discourses concerning practical questions, like that all those with which we talk could contribute something to the issue at stake), Habermas puts forwards a convincing case for a moderate cognitivism, or what is the same, for an objective foundation. This implies moving beyond the relativism characteristic of much liberal thinking. Specialized readers will be interested in confronting Habermas' argument with that of Alexy, and will find the chapter an expansion of his 1997 article on the Aristotelian Society Proceedings. The second part contains two chapters, devoted to one of the major events in contemporary political thinking: the lectures in which John Rawls (author of the world-known Theory of Justice, second edition published in September 1999) and Jürgen Habermas revisited the work of each other. Habermas stresses the similarities of his and Rawls' theory, but stresses the dialogical conception of his theory of justice, vis a vis the monological character of the well-known Rawlsian original position. The third part is an essential reading for all those interested in globalisation. Habermas offers his insights on the process of European integration. The articles there included reflect his commitment to the further development of the Communities, based both in his own fear of an isolated Germany and his hope for extending solidarity beyond nation-states. Specialized readers will find specially interesting his new insights on the cement of liberal post-nationalistic societies, what Habermas himself labeled as "constitutional patriotism". The fourth part contains Habermas contributions with the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the publication of Kant's pamphlet "Towards Perpetual Peace", a major statement in favor of cosmopolitan democracy. Habermas takes the opportunity to challenge realists, that is, those claiming that international relations are mainly a matter of force and deception (the like of Carl Schmitt, a favorite target of his criticisms). The fifth and last part deals with the expanding number of writers who adhere to deliberative democracy as the legitimate political arrangement (like Joshua Cohen and Seyla Benhabib, to quote some names). Habermas makes a nice analysis of the main trends and implications of this line of argumentation, which basically aims at transcending majoritarian politics and reinforcing the effective participation of citizens in politics. The Inclusion of the Other is especially recommended to all those interested in having a taste of the work of Habermas but who were deterred by the complicated prose of Continental Philosophers. The book is clearly written and crisply translated. Habermas himself supervises the English translation of his books. A colleague from Germany told me that she preferred reading him in English because the texts were always more rich and complete than in the original edition!