Not Only for Myself: Identity, Politics, and the Law [Paperback]

Martha Minow (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1565845137 | ISBN-13: 978-1565845138 | Publication Date: June 1, 1999

Now in paperback, a "moderate, judicious... look at identity politics" (Kirkus Reviews) by one of our leading legal thinkers. In Not Only for Myself, Harvard Law professor and leading critical legal scholar Martha Minow uses well-known incidents, such as the furor over the casting of Miss Saigon and the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, to explain the legal issues bearing on such incendiary questions as affirmative action, segregation, racial redistricting, and "identity politics."

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Minow (law, Harvard) asks how American society can strike a balance between the paradoxes of individual and group identities. On the one hand, America celebrates individual achievement, causing many to feel uncomfortable with policies favoring group identity, such as affirmative action. On the other hand, a just recognition of discrimination requires that remedies be based at least partially on group identity. The author argues that justice and good governance will not arise from the destruction of these paradoxes but from an appreciation of them. In building her theory, Minow carefully examines how group identities are defined through politics, law, and culture. As opposed to related treatises by Stephen Carter or Dinesh D'Souza, for example, Minow's informative essay is not so much analytical as anecdotal. Recommended for most academic and large public libraries.?Steven Anderson, Baltimore Cty Circuit Court Law Lib., Md.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Minow, a professor at Harvard Law School, examines the legal and social implications of group-based identity (What rights can individuals claim by virtue of membership in historically oppressed groups, and how do those claims conflict with membership in the larger group?) in this probing, balanced look at identity questions in social and legal settings. Despite its heavily academic tone, the book is an accessible and interesting read. Minow uses contemporary cases, such as the 1990 cancellation of the New York production of Miss Saigon because the actors' union would not allow a white actor to play the part of a Eurasian, to analyze and offer a broader understanding of the issues involved. This thoroughly annotated account also provides an intelligent discussion of affirmative action, segregation, and gay and lesbian rights; illustrates both the insights and the limitations on both sides of the issues; and provides potentially helpful ideas, actions, and philosophies for constructively approaching some of the associated concerns. Kathleen Hughes --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: New Press, The (June 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565845137
• ISBN-13: 978-1565845138
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,428,062 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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