Dimensions
152 x 229 x 19mm
In an effort to rethink what democracy means after the demise of European Communism, Isaac presents an integrated account of current events, contemporary history and political philosophy. He challenges the celebratory tones in which a global resurgence of democracy is often announced, urging a chastened conception of democratic politics which stresses the modest efforts of self-constituted civic initiative and movements. The text views contemporary democratic practice through the lens of Hannah Arendt's political theory and explores the difficulties of democratic citizenship and civil society which concerned Arendt. Isaac deals with issues of pressing relevance, including the Eastern and Central European revolutions of 1989, the future of democracy in America and the ethical significance of the Bosnian genocide. By using Arendt's ideas as a way to understand some of the most challenging problems of the 20th century, Isaac seeks to offer a sensitive treatment of the differences and affinities between her "dark times" and our own.
