This book examines Gandhi's idea of swaraj as an alternative to the modern concept of political authority. It also introduces the readers to Gandhi’s ideas of moral interconnectedness and empathetic pluralism. It explores the Gandhian belief that "nonviolence" as a moral and political concept is essentially the empowerment of the Other through spiritual and political realization of the self as a non-egocentric subject. Further, it highlights swaraj as an act of conscience and therefore a transformative force, essential to the harmony between spirituality and politics.
The volume will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of philosophy, politics, and South Asian studies.
Introduction: Experimenting with Truth: The Nobility of Spirit 1. Politics with Conscience: Parrhesia and Maturity 2. Swaraj: Empathetic Emancipation and Common Humanity 3. Satyagraha: Socratic Self-examination and Nonviolent Citizenry 4. Anti-Political Politics and Integral Democracy 5. The Care of the World and Moral Obligation to Disobey Conclusion: Spirituality of Emancipation and the Otherness of the Other
Biography
Ramin Jahanbegloo is an Iranian–Canadian philosopher. He is presently the executive director of the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Nonviolence and Peace Studies and the vice-dean of the School of Law at Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India. He is the winner of the Peace Prize from the United Nations Association in Spain (2009) for his extensive academic work in promoting dialogue among cultures and his advocacy for nonviolence. More recently, he is the winner of the Josep Palau i Fabre International Essay Prize. Some of his most recent publications are Gadflies in the Public Space (2016), The Decline of Civilization (2017), Letters to a Young Philosopher (2017), On Forgiveness and Revenge (2017) and The Global Gandhi: Essays in Comparative Political Philosophy (2018).
