Habermas : introduction and analysis /

Ingram (Loyola Univ., Chicago) presents a much-needed comprehensive introduction to the life and work of Jurgen Habermas. Habermas's evolving and systematic approach to philosophy and the social implications of that approach are crucial to understanding contemporary Continental philosophy and to any intelligent discussion of world politics. Ingram does a marvelous job of linking Habermas's life and intellectual stories to various positions taken and texts produced. Far from a fawning intellectual biography, this is a critical evaluation of a key figure in philosophy, political science, and legal theory. Ingram notes at the outset that, unlike Habermas, one of his goals was to write a book that did not presuppose dense philosophical knowledge. He largely succeeds, though a familiarity with the broad strokes of the Western tradition would be more than helpful for readers. The one sour note in the book is the lack of a discussion of the philosophical differences between Michel Foucault and Habermas. This omission is surprising, given Ingram's own fine work on the topic (e.g., in The Cambridge Companion to Foucault, edited by Gary Gutting, CH, Jan'06, 43-2738). The Foucault-Habermas dispute gets to key concerns about power and identity--central to both thinkers' mature work. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. R. E. Kraft York College of Pennsylvania