A thought-provoking reflection on why secular national liberation movements are so often challenged by militant religious revivals Many of the successful campaigns for national liberation in the years following World War II were initially based on democratic and secular ideals. Once established; however; the newly independent nations had to deal with entirely unexpected religious fierceness. Michael Walzer; one of America’s foremost political thinkers; examines this perplexing trend by studying India; Israel; and Algeria; three nations whose founding principles and institutions have been sharply attacked by three completely different groups of religious revivalists: Hindu militants; ultra-Orthodox Jews and messianic Zionists; and Islamic radicals. In his provocative; well-reasoned discussion; Walzer asks; Why have these secular democratic movements been unable to reproduce their political culture beyond one or two generations? In a postscript; he compares the difficulties of contemporary secularism to the successful establishment of secular politics in the early American republic—thereby making an argument for American exceptionalism but gravely noting that we may be less exceptional today.
#271122 in Books 2011-11-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.98 x .71 x 6.35l; 1.10 #File Name: 0300178131320 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Very informative and readableBy Dr. Emily KurtzThis book was a great read and offered a lot of new perspective on London and the Colonial period. You get lots of interesting social history; background on luminaries such as Ben Franklin; and a fresh take on slavery and how London's attitude toward it differed from America's. Finally; you get the clear distinction even back then between North and South; between Southern Planter and New England tradesman and what exactly constituted being an American. There were a few solecisms and misspellings (charicature! Yale UP needs more copy editors...); but on the whole it was well done and eminently entertaining. The Georgian period in England remains one if its most fascinating; with so many shades of meaning and various expressions as to defy most preconceived notions.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. How the Past looks from hereBy Barbara B. CarrollHow the Past looks from hereThis a fascinating account of the attitudes in both England and the Colonies before and during the American Revolution .The Rebellion;as it was termed; was viewed in that era;as a tedious but justified uprising against government policy; Just that -- not a bid for separation.In American History Classes; this has long been presented as an heroic; single-minded endeavor toward Liberty1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Needs a More Critical EditorBy SomersemtMs. Flavell obviously knows her history; and I guess her book does address the main subject matter of what life was like for Colonists living in London during the years shortly before 1776. But I was disturbed by the repetitiveness of much of the material. And her almost constant references to "Pride and Prejudice;" "Sense and Sensibility" and other novels and their characters was alright at first but then became oddly disturbing.I own and have carefully read countless books about that era in our American past; and I was looking forward to some new insight regarding the mindset of the citizens of that day. And that is what was somewhat disappointing to me. She goes on at great length about one Henry Laurens; a Southern plantation owner with close ties to London; but perhaps more should have been revealed about others rather than devoting a good third of the book to someone who has disappeared in the fog of time.The best part of her book is near the end when good old Ben Franklin appears. But for me it was too little too late. And the spelling of "defense" as "defence"; and "gaol" for "jail" throughout the book was distracting at best. I firmly believe Ms. Flavell has a great deal to offer but Heather McCallum; her editor at Yale University Press; should have told her that one mention of an occasion or situation is enough. Telling us the same details over and over again simply becomes tedious.
