Liberalism, nationalism, citizenship : essays on the problem of political community /

This collection of essays reflects Beiner's intuition that "an essentially simple idea lies at the base of every political philosophy," radiating outward to illuminate all dimensions of life. For Beiner, this idea is the concept of shared citizenship as an essentially human calling. Five essays focus on liberalism, beginning with the reflection that because liberalism and nationalism each diagnose what is wrong with the other, perhaps there is a third, civic option irreducible to the strivings of individuals or of groups. The other four essays in this section address Flathman's libertarian leanings, Macedo's communitarian tendencies, the tension within Sandel's conception of the causal efficacy of ideas, and MacIntyre's paradoxical rejection of both liberalism and nationalism. The other seven essays focus on nationalism, including an overview of problematic areas, personal reflections on Israel, the tension between Arendt's rejection of nationalism and embrace of human rights, the inflammatory nature of the rhetoric of rights, Canada's normality as a multination state, the nationalism-internationalism debate, and, in the only new essay here, the place for a bounded civic nationalism that is not pluralist, conventionally nationalist, or internationalist. Without breaking much new ground, the essays together contain some provocative insights. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. E. R. Gill Bradley University