'An instantly indispensable guide to the Social Contract, this Cambridge Companion delves deeply into Rousseau's magnum opus to explore themes such as political psychology, civil religion, sovereignty, government, and negative versus positive liberty. Moreover, the volume investigates the Social Contract's intricate relationship with Rousseau's other works such as Émile, and his essays on political economy, Poland, Corsica, and D'Alembert. A landmark moment in Rousseau studies.' John P. McCormick, University of Chicago

'Rousseau's masterpiece, the Social Contract is, by all accounts, his most important contribution to political philosophy. But it is also a notoriously paradoxical and difficult text, which has both inspired, enraged, and confounded its readers since its publication 250 years ago. David Lay Williams and Matthew W. Maguire have here assembled an outstanding team of experts to help us understand why it continues to fascinate.' Helena Rosenblatt, The Graduate Center, City University of New York

'This sterling volume gathers a range of insightful commentary on a notoriously slippery text. A fitting companion to Rousseau's masterwork, it will be of immense value to all those who read, teach, and struggle with this foundational intervention in modern political thought.' Darrin M. McMahon, Dartmouth College

Se alle

'The essays are self-contained and maintain a high quality throughout the text, which will be useful primarily to scholars conducting research on Rousseau and secondarily to those who do research in political theory on the topics covered here … Highly recommended.' M. A. Michael, Choice

What is freedom? What is equality? And what is sovereignty? A foundational text of modern political philosophy, Rousseau's Social Contract has generated much debate and exerted extraordinary influence not only on political thought, but also modern political history, by way of the French Revolution and other political events, ideals, and practices. The Social Contract is regularly studied in undergraduate courses of philosophy, political thought, and modern intellectual history, as well as being the subject of graduate seminars in numerous disciplines. The book inspires an ongoing flow of scholarly articles and monographs. Few texts have offered more influential and important answers to research questions than Rousseau's Social Contract, and in this new Cambridge Companion, a multidisciplinary team of contributors provides new ways to navigate this masterpiece of political philosophy- and its animating questions.
Les mer
1. Introduction Matthew W. Maguire and David Lay Williams; 2. 'Every legitimate government is republican': Rousseau's debt to and departure from Montesquieu on republicanism John T. Scott; 3. What if there is no legislator? Rousseau's history of the government of Geneva Christopher Kelly; 4. Rousseau's republican citizenship: the moral psychology of the social contract Robin Douglass; 5. Rousseau's negative liberty: themes of domination and skepticism in the social contract Michael Locke McLendon; 6. Rousseau's ancient ends of legislation: liberty, equality (& fraternity) David Lay Williams; 7. Property and possession in Rousseau's social contract Rafeeq Hasan; 8. Political equality among unequals Melissa Schwartzberg; 9. On the primacy of peoplehood: nations and nationalism in Rousseau's social contract Richard Boyd; 10. Rousseau on voting and electoral laws Alexandra Oprea; 11. Rousseau and the puzzle of the Roman republic Geneviève Rousselière; 12. Rousseau's case against democracy Céline Spector; 13. Rousseau's dilemma or 'of civil religion' Steven B. Smith; 14. Entreating the political: politics and theology in Rousseau's social contract Matthew W. Maguire; 15. Civil religion and political unity: social contract 4.8 Ryan Patrick Hanley.
Les mer
'An instantly indispensable guide to the Social Contract, this Cambridge Companion delves deeply into Rousseau's magnum opus to explore themes such as political psychology, civil religion, sovereignty, government, and negative versus positive liberty. Moreover, the volume investigates the Social Contract's intricate relationship with Rousseau's other works such as Émile, and his essays on political economy, Poland, Corsica, and D'Alembert. A landmark moment in Rousseau studies.' John P. McCormick, University of Chicago
Les mer
Opens up a masterpiece of political philosophy for a new generation, including influential arguments about justice, equality, and freedom.

Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9781108839303
Publisert
2024-02-22
Utgiver
Vendor
Cambridge University Press
Vekt
700 gr
Høyde
235 mm
Bredde
158 mm
Dybde
26 mm
Aldersnivå
G, 01
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
384

Biographical note

David Lay Williams is a Professor of Political Science at DePaul University. He is the author of Rousseau's Platonic Enlightenment (2007) and Rousseau's 'Social Contract': An Introduction (CUP, 2014), as well as the co-editor of The General Will: The Evolution of a Concept (CUP, 2015). He is presently completing a book on economic inequality in the history of political thought. Matthew W. Maguire is a Professor of History and Catholic Studies at DePaul University. He is the author of The Conversion of Imagination: From Pascal through Rousseau to Tocqueville (2006) and Carnal Spirit: The Revolutions of Charles Péguy (2019), in addition to essays about diverse topics in European intellectual history. His is now writing a book about autonomy and freedom.