1st Edition
Untangling Heroism Classical Philosophy and the Concept of the Hero
Biography
Ari Kohen is Schlesinger Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Forsythe Family Program on Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln. His first book, In Defense of Human Rights, was published by Routledge in 2007.
"Ari Kohen's book is a beautiful example of cutting-edge contemporary political theory. Kohen explores heroism as a procedurally determined category of concepts for personal identification that emerges as a timeless and universal social fact. He persuasively argues for a richer understanding of Socrates as the common man's hero par excellence and for Plato as the principle educator of the Greeks. Untangling Heroism links contemporary examples (Kerry, McCain, Korczak, and Munyeshyaka) to classical heroic archetypes in a way that celebrates both their heroic acts and their humanity. This book succeeds superbly as a work in cross-temporal political philosophy by illuminating not what heroism is and has been, but what a hero does and why."
—Robert L. Oprisko, Butler University
"Professor Kohen’s exploration of heroism, its meaning and purpose, effectively reconsiders those virtues requisite to the heroic life. By looking at heroism first within the conceptual framework of the ancient Greeks and then moving the discussion forward into more recent cases and situations, the author has successfully provided a relevant, working framework for further explorations of the enduring qualities of heroism. This book will help to reinvigorate our discussion of heroism and what heroic acts mean to us and provide for us, and what kind of commitment is still needed for our own heroes to emerge in our time."
—Scott Hammond, James Madison University
