The Politics of Persons: Individual Autonomy and Socio-historical SelvesIt is both an ideal and an assumption of traditional conceptions of justice for liberal democracies that citizens are autonomous, self-governing persons. Yet standard accounts of the self and of self-government at work in such theories are hotly disputed and often roundly criticized in most of their guises. John Christman offers a sustained critical analysis of both the idea of the 'self' and of autonomy as these ideas function in political theory, offering interpretations of these ideas which avoid such disputes and withstand such criticisms. Christman's model of individual autonomy takes into account the socially constructed nature of persons and their complex cultural and social identities, and he shows how this model can provide a foundation for principles of justice for complex democracies marked by radical difference among citizens. His book will interest a wide range of readers in philosophy, politics, and the social sciences. |
Other editions - View all
The Politics of Persons: Individual Autonomy and Socio-historical Selves John Christman No preview available - 2009 |
The Politics of Persons: Individual Autonomy and Socio-historical Selves John Christman No preview available - 2011 |
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ability accept actions agency agent alienated Appiah argue aspects authentic autobiographical autobiographical memory autonomy-based basic Bratman Cambridge University Press chapter Charles Taylor Christman citizens claim cognitive communitarian conception of autonomy connections construction context critical cultural defined deliberative democracy democracy democratic developed diachronic discussion dynamics elements embodied example experiences factors Feminism Feminist function fundamental Harvard University heteronomous historical Honneth idea ideal identify identity-based individual institutions interaction interests internalist interpersonal involves judgments Kymlicka language legitimacy lives meaning memory metaphysical moral motivational narrative normative one’s ongoing Oshana particular person perspective Philosophy political liberalism political principles post-modern practices Princeton University principles of justice psychological public reason question rational Rawls recognition reference reflection reject role self-concept self-government self-interpretation self-reflection sense sequence simply social groups social identities social relations socio-historical sort specifically Stoljar structure teleology theories of justice theorists theory traditional value commitments Velleman York