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In This Book, Edward Hall Asks If The Liberalism Of Fear - The Negative And Cautionary Vein Of Liberal Thinking Articulated By Judith Shklar, Which Urges Us To Prioritize The Avoidance Of Public Cruelty - Can Effectively Orient Our Political Thinking In The Twenty First Century. Hall Systematically Engages With Shklar's Writings To Offer A Defence Of Liberalism In These Terms, And Also Methodically Works Through A Variety Of Practical Political Issues - Torture, Policing, Immigration Control, And Hate Speech - To Illustrate How Focusing On The Minimization Of Public Cruelty Can Reorient Liberal Thinking In The Twenty-first Century. In So Doing, Hall Upends The Suggestion That The Liberalism Of Fear Is An Outdated Species Of Cold War Liberalism, Arguing That As Long As Some People Are Invested With Coercive Power To Exercise Over Others, There Is A Likelihood For Public Cruelty To Emerge. Moreover, By Examining Some Central Features Of Politics In The Twenty-first Century, He Offers A Series Of Vital And Original Recommendations About How We Can Respond To Public Cruelty, Here And Now-- Provided By Publisher.
This book investigates whether the 'liberalism of fear,' a framework prioritizing the avoidance of public cruelty, remains a viable and necessary orientation for political thought in the twenty-first century. Edward Hall, a scholar of political theory, utilizes the foundational writings of Judith Shklar to construct a robust defense of this cautionary approach. He argues that as long as coercive power exists, the potential for state-sanctioned cruelty persists, necessitating a political philosophy that centers on the prevention of harm rather than the pursuit of abstract ideals.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Scholars and political theorists frequently note the clarity with which Hall bridges abstract philosophical concepts with urgent, contemporary political dilemmas. Experts highlight this work as a significant contribution to the ongoing debate regarding the relevance of Cold War-era political frameworks in the modern era.
Page Count:
240
Publication Date:
2025-10-24
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192870033
ISBN-13:
9780192870032
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