Cornel West - The Politics of Redemption

In this new book Rosemary Cowan provides a clear and highly accessible introduction to the work of Cornel West, a provocative thinker who has emerged as one of America's foremost public intellectuals.


West's multi-disciplinary work has helped to shape key debates concerning race relations, identity politics, the direction of the Left, the resurgence of pragmatism, and the role of contemporary intellectuals. He offers a compelling vision of the way in which values derived from spirituality can underline a movement for radical social change and his political ethic seeks not only to reinvigorate leftist politics, but also to reconcile American democratic practice with democratic theory. However, some vocal critics are skeptical of his stature as a serious scholar and have dismissed his work as intellectually opportunistic and incoherent.



Drawing on extended interviews with West, Cowan adopts a sympathetic but critical stance toward his almost innumerable political postures. She outlines the main themes of his thought, highlighting the principles behind his eclecticism. A major feature of the book is her assertion that liberation theology offers the most coherent approach to West's work.

List of contents

Acknowledgements. Introduction.
Chapter 1. Reading West.
Chapter 2. Race and American Democracy.
Chapter 3. Jazz Philosophy: Westian Pragmatism.
Chapter 4. 'Prophetic' Christianity.
Chapter 5. Re-conceptualizing Marxism: West's Radicalism.
Chapter 6. The Multicontextual Public Intellectual.
Chapter 7. The Politics of 'Conversion' West's 'Love Ethic'.
Chapter 8. Achieving Democracy: Applying the Love Ethic.
Conclusion: Creative Tensions.
Notes.
Bibliography.
Index

About the author

Rosemary Cowan has taught political theory and American politics at California State University, Stanislaus

Summary

The first book--length study of Cornel West, one of Americaa s foremost public intellectuals. Outlines the main themes of his thought and discusses all of his major works, which span philosophy, politics, theology and Afrocan America Studies.

Product details

• Authors: Cowan, Rosemary Cowan, Rosemary (California State University Cowan, Cowan Rosemary, Rosemary Cowan
• Publisher: Wiley
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 25.11.2002
• EAN: 9780745624938
• ISBN: 978-0-7456-2493-8
• No. of pages: 224
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 230 mm x 17 mm
• Weight: 336 g
• Series: Key Contemporary Thinkers; Key Contemporary Thinkers
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; Prose: non-fiction, PHILOSOPHY / Social, PHILOSOPHY / Political, PHILOSOPHY / History & Surveys / Modern, POLITICAL SCIENCE / History & Theory, LITERARY COLLECTIONS / General, Political science & theory, social and political philosophy, Western philosophy from c 1800, Political science and theory, Biography and non-fiction prose