The reluctant modernism of Hannah Arendt
By: Seyla Benhabib.
Series: Modernity and political thought ;; v. 10; Modernity and political thought ;; vol. 10.
Publisher: Sage Publications
Published: 1996
Place of publication: Thousand Oaks
Language: eng
Number of pages: 247
Subjects: Arendt, Hannah.; Heidegger, Martin, 1889-1976.; Political science -- Philosophy.
Description: Interpreting the work of one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century, The Reluctant Modernism of Hannah Arendt rereads Arendt's political philosophy in the light of newly gained insights into the historico-cultural background of her work.

Arguing against the standard interpretation of Hannah Arendt as an anti-modernist lover of the Greek polis, author Seyla Benhabib contends that Arendt's thought emerges out of a double legacy: German Existenz philosophy, particularly the thought of Martin Heidegger, and her experiences as a German-Jewess in the age of totalitarianism.

This important volume reconsiders Arendt's theory of modernity, her concept of the public sphere, her distinction between the social and the political, her theory of totalitarianism, and her critique of the modern nation-state, including her lifelong involvement with Jewish and Israeli politics.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 221-233) and index.