Defending Ideals: War, Democracy, and Political Struggles

by Cornell,Drucilla

• ISBN13: 9780415948838
• ISBN10: 0415948835
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2004-08-14
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

What is liberalism in the post-9/11 world? What do the ideals of civilization and civility mean during the Bush administration's campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq? Is liberalism still important? Cornell examines the most important scholars of today and their approach to these questions. She contrasts Amartya Sen's capabilities approach with that of Martha Nussbaum, and examines Adorno's salvaging the idea of progress. She critiques Richard Falk's justification of the bombing of Afghanistan, which has now led to the slippery slope that Falk feared and could not defend against. Cornell also examines the ideal of civility as defined by Etienne Balibar and Thomas Nagel, with important implications for the world community.

Table of Contents

Preface: Why We Need Ideals	vii
Acknowledgments	xi
Chapter 1: Living and Dying in Iraq: Killing Talk	1	(20)
Chapter 2: Worlds Apart: Perpetual Peace and Infinite War	21	(20)
Chapter 3: Variegated Visions of Humanity: John Rawls' The Law of Peoples	41	(22)
Chapter 4: Developing Human Capabilities: Freedom, Universality, and Civility	63	(22)
Chapter 5: Civilization, Progress, and Beyond	85	(14)
Chapter 6: Reconsidering Nationalisms: Feminism and Anti-Militarist Ideals	99	(18)
Chapter 7: Other Family Stories: The Ethics and Politics of Transnational Adoption	117	(26)
Notes	143	(8)
Bibliography	151	(4)
Index	155