2nd Edition

Social and Political Philosophy A Contemporary Introduction

By John Christman Copyright 2018
    292 Pages
    by Routledge

    292 Pages
    by Routledge

    This accessible book is invaluable to anyone coming to social and political philosophy for the first time. It provides a broad survey of key social and political questions in modern society, as well as clear discussions of the philosophical issues central to those questions and to political thought more generally. Unique among books of this kind is a sustained treatment of specifically social philosophy, including topics such as epistemic injustice, pornography, marriage, sexuality, and the family. The relation between such social questions and specifically political topics is discussed. These topics include: political authority, economic justice, the limits of tolerance, considerations of community, race, gender, and culture in questions of justice, and radical critiques of current political theories.  Updates to the Second Edition emphasize the non-statist areas of the subject and include two brand new chapters on social philosophy and transnational justice. This Second Edition also includes revisions throughout and coverage of recent theoretical discussions and world events.

    Table of Contents

    Preface and Acknowledgments

    1. Introduction

    The Liberal Democratic Paradigm

    Preliminaries I: Method

    Preliminaries II: Moral Theory and Political Philosophy

    Structure of the Book

    Notes on Further Reading

    2. Social Philosophy and the Road to the Political

    What is Social Philosophy?

    A Selection of Issues in Social Philosophy

    From Social Criticism to Political Philosophy

    Chapter Summary

    Case to Consider

    Notes on Further Reading

     

    Part I. Basic Issues Within the Liberal Paradigm

    3. The Problem of Political Authority

    The Social Contract Tradition

    Hobbes’s Social Contract: Mechanism, Egoism, and Rationality

    Locke: Reason, Morality, and Freedom

    Lessons from Rousseau and Kant

    From Consent to Legitimacy

    Chapter Summary

    Case to Consider

    Notes on Further Reading

    4. Distributive Justice

    Distributive Justice and Equality

    Libertarianism

    Utilitarian Approaches to Economic Justice

    Rawlsian Distributive Justice

    Varieties of Egalitarianism

    From Equality to the Welfare State

    Chapter Summary

    Case to Consider

    Notes on Further Reading

    5. Toleration, Pluralism, and the Foundations of Liberalism

    The Canons of Liberalism

    The Perfectionist Challenge

    Utilitarian Liberalism: Perfectionism in Disguise?

    The Response of Political Liberalism

    Liberalism, Public Discourse, and Democracy

    Chapter Summary

    Case to Consider

    Notes on Further Reading

     

    Part II. Critique of the Liberal Paradigm: Challenges and Departures

    6. Conservatism, Communitarianism, and The Social Conception of the Self

    Conservatism

    Communitarianism

    Chapter Summary

    Case to Consider

    Notes on Further Reading

    7. Race and the Politics of Identity

    Ideal Theory and Ongoing Injustice

    Critical Race Theory

    What is Racism, What is Race?

    Racism and The Structure of Liberalism

    Liberalism, Freedom and Culture

    Chapter Summary

    Case to Consider

    Notes on Further Reading

    8. Feminism, Gender and Sexuality

    Feminism

    Sexuality and Gender Identity

    Identity, Injustice, and Democracy

    Chapter Summary

    Case to Consider

    Notes on Further Reading

    9. Marxism and Radical Critique

    The Legacy of Marx and Marxism

    Post-Modern Departures

    Chapter Summary

    Case to Consider

    Notes on Further Reading

    10. Beyond the Nation State

    Cosmopolitanism and Nationalism

    Human Rights

    Global Justice Generally

    Injustice and Borders: Immigration

    Chapter Summary

    Case to Consider

    Notes on Further Reading

    Epilogue: The Hope of Liberalism?

    Biography

    John Christman is Professor of Philosophy, Political Science, and Women’s Studies at Penn State University. He is the author of The Politics of Persons: Individual Autonomy and Socio-historical Selves and The Myth of Property: Toward an Egalitarian Theory of Ownership. He is also the editor of The Inner Citadel: Essays on Individual Autonomy and co-editor (with Joel Anderson) of Autonomy and the Challenges to Liberalism: New Essays.

    "It was hard to improve upon the first edition of Christman’s Social and Political Philosophy. But he has done it! In his second edition, Christman has updated his text and included two new cutting-edge chapters. The result is a truly excellent introductory text for our times."

    --James P. Sterba, University of Notre Dame

    "Christman's Introduction into Social and Political Philosophy is without any doubt the most comprehensive and knowledgeable introduction we have at present. It is not only a thoughtful overview over all important philosophical traditions (not only the Anglo-American ones) but also all essential problems – from issues in marriage, gender or race to normative problems in human rights, global justice or immigration. It is unique in its close look at the complex links between the social issues and their role in different political conceptions. Christman helps us all to better understand social and political philosophy, and thereby to better understand contemporary societies and our place within them."

    --Beate Roessler, University of Amsterdam

    "Christman’s Introduction offers an impressively comprehensive, highly engaging and very accessible survey of the interconnected issues at the heart of political and social philosophy. The 1st edition has helped generations of students navigate the complexities of these philosophical fields – and the students in our courses loved it. If anything, this new expanded and updated 2nd edition will prove even more successful."

    --Robin Celikates, University of Amsterdam