Postnational Constellation: Political Essays

Jurgen Habermas has been awarded the prestigious a Friedenspreis des deutschen Buchhandelsa prize for 2001 a The Reader gains a firm appreciation of how Habermasa s social theory applies to political realities ... These new books by Habermas will be indispensable for years to come [and will] undoubtedly make provocative reading.a Anthony Elliott, The Australian a Habermas is that rare mixture of respected scholar and public intellectual. [This book] is one of his most accessible to date ... [it] is an impressive collection of essays on political issues of the day ... More generally, the book contains the thoughts of a great European intellectual of the Left who has not lost his nerve. And for this alone it is worth the money. After the a debatea in Northern Ireland and the general lack of understanding in some circles, our political class could use a few copies.a Fortnight

Does a global economy render the traditional nation--state obsolete? Does globalization threaten democratic life, or offer it new forms of expression? What are the implications of globalization for our understanding of politics and of national and cultural identities? In The Postnational Constellation, the leading German philosopher and social theorist J?rgen Habermas addresses these and other questions. He explores topics such as the historical and political origins of national identity, the catastrophes and achievements of "the long twentieth century," the future of democracy in the wake of the era of the nation--state, the moral and political challenges facing the European Union, and the status of global human rights in the ongoing debate on the sources of cultural identity. In their scope, critical insight, and argumentative clarity, the essays in The Postnational Constellation present a powerful vision of the contemporary political scene and of the challenges and opportunities we face in the new millennium. Those unfamiliar with Habermasa s theoretical work will find in this volume a lucid and engaging introduction to one of the worlda s most influential thinkers. For readers familiar with Habermasa s writings, The Postnational Constellation provides an invaluable application of his social and political theories to current political realities.