Liberalism, Nationalism, Citizenship : Essays on the Problem of Political Community

Liberals believe that the purpose of politics is to guarantee that individuals do not face unfair impediments in pursuing the lives they choose for themselves. Nationalists believe that the purpose of politics is to ensure that a people's sense of authentic nationhood wins full expression in powers of collective sovereignty or self-rule. Both of these forms of political commitment yield world-transforming political philosophies, but do either of these visions do adequate justice to a philosophically robust ideal of shared citizenship and civic membership? In Liberalism, Nationalism, Citizenship, Ronald Beiner engages critically with a wide range of important political thinkers and current debates in light of the Aristotelian idea that shared citizenship is an essential human calling. Virtually every aspect of contemporary political experience -- globalization, international migration, secessionist movements, the politics of multiculturalism -- pose urgent challenges to modern citizenship. Beiner's work on the philosophy of citizenship is essential reading not just for students of politics and political philosophy, but for all those who rightly sense that these kinds of recent challenges demand an ambitious rethinking of the nature of political community Through this collection of 12 essays, Beiner (political science, U. of Toronto) explores themes related to the idea of citizenship. His stated purpose is "to articulate, in different theoretical contexts and in response to a variety of theorists of political community, a notion of citizenship that can provide a normative standard for critical judgment concerning liberalism and critical judgment concerning nationalism." Eleven of the essays have been published previously; nine were revised for the book. In the 12th (new) essay, introducing the term "civicism," Beiner reflects on the problem of political community. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR