The Bloomsbury Companion to Arendt

Description

Hannah Arendt's (1906-1975) writings, both in public magazines and in her important books, are still widely studied today. She made original contributions in political thinking that still astound readers and critics alike. The subject of several films and numerous books, colloquia, and newspaper articles, Arendt remains a touchstone in innumerable debates about the use of violence in politics, the responsibility one has under dictatorships and totalitarianism, and how to combat the repetition of the horrors of the past. The Bloomsbury Companion to Arendt offers the definitive guide to her writings and ideas, her influences and commentators, as well as the reasons for her lasting significance, with 66 original essays taking up in accessible terms the myriad ways in which one can take up her work and her continuing importance. These essays, written by an international set of her best readers and commentators, provides a comprehensive coverage of her life and the contexts in which her works were written. Special sections take up chapters on each of her key writings, the reception of her work, and key ways she interpreted those who influenced her. If one has come to Arendt from one of her essays on freedom, or from yet another bombastic account of her writings on Adolph Eichmann, or as as student or professor working in the field of Arendt studies, this book provides the ideal tool for thinking with and rediscovering one of the most important intellectuals of the past century. But just as importantly, contributors advance the study of Arendt into neglected areas, such as on science and ecology, to demonstrate her importance not just to debates in which she was well known, but those touched off only after her death. Arendt's approaches as well as her concrete claims about the political have much to offer given the current ecological and refugee crises, among others. In sum, then, the Companion provides a tool for thinking with Arendt, but also for showing just where those thinking with her can take her work today.

Peter Gratton is Professor of Philosophy at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada. He is author of Speculative Realism: Problems and Prospects (Bloomsbury, 2014) asemin Sari is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Northern Iowa, USA.

This volume explores many of the "thought trains" central to Arendt's understanding of modernity. Essays on dozens of topics invite readers to think about politics, birth, truth, and power in light of Arendt's profound reflections on those topics. While Arendt found "truth" elusive, she thought we were obliged to "think about what we are doing", the authors of these essays help us to shoulder that task. * Johanna Meehan, McCay-Casady Professor of Humanities, Grinnell College, USA * Diverse, accessible, and highly impressive in its scope, this compelling volume will doubtless become essential reading both for established scholars of Arendt's work and for new readers. Effectively showcasing the urgency and vitality of Arendt's writings, it strikes the perfect balance between enriching current conversations and presenting new directions for Arendt scholarship. * Danielle Sands, Lecturer in Comparative Literature and Thought, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK *