The Power of Religion in the Public Sphere (A Columbia / SSRC Book). This item is unavailable.The Power of Religion in the Public Sphere (A Columbia / SSRC Book)

The Power of Religion in the Public Sphere is a rare opportunity to experience a diverse group of preeminent philosophers confronting one all-encompassing contemporary concern: what role does or shouldreligion play in our public lives? Judith Butler's response reflects her recent work on state-sponsored violence in Israel, examining the function of religion within the context of cultural critique. Jurgen Habermas, best known for his innovative conception of the public sphere yet less of a commentator on religious practice, explores the limits of secularism, the enduring importance of religion, and the political significance of religious tolerance.On the heels of these interrogations, Charles Taylor takes stock of our post-Chistendom Christianity and the need for a radical redefinition of secularism, and Cornel West passionately defends civil disobedience and emancipatory theology, especially in the service of civil rights and opposition to war. In their introduction, Eduardo Mendieta and Jonathan VanAntwerpen detail the immense contribution of these philosophers to contemporary scholarship and, specifically, to the issues within this volume. In an afterword, Craig Calhoun discusses the effect of these approaches in national and international domains.

Judith Butler is the Maxine Eliot Professor in the Department of Rhetoric and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley and author of numerous works, including Gender Trouble, The Psychic Life of Power, and Subjects of Desire. Jurgen Habermas is a German philosopher and sociologist and former director of the Institute for Social Research at the University of Frankfurt. His recent works are Between Naturalism and Religion: Philosophical Essays and The Divided West. Charles Taylor is a Canadian philosopher and professor emeritus of political science and philosophy at McGill University. He has received the Templeton Prize and the Kyoto Prize. Cornel West is an American philosopher, critic, pastor, and civil rights activist. He is a Class of 1943 University Professor at Princeton University, where he teaches in the Center for African American studies and the Department of Religion.