Overview

Political disputes over toleration are endemic, while toleration as a political value seems opposed to those of civic equality, neutrality and sometimes democracy. Toleration in Political Conflict sets out to understand toleration as both politically awkward and indispensable. The book exposes the incoherence of Rawlsian reasonable pluralist justifications of toleration, and shows that toleration cannot be fully reconciled with liberal political values. While raison d'état concerns very often overshadow debates over toleration, these debates – for example about terrorism – need not be framed as a conflict between toleration and security. Framing them in this way tends to obscure objectionable behaviour by tolerators themselves, and their reliance on asymmetric power. Glen Newey concludes by sketching a picture of politics as dependent on free speech which, he argues, is entailed by the demands of free association. That in turn suggests that questions of toleration are inescapable within the conditions of politics itself.

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9781107040328

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'One of the most important philosophers writing on toleration today, Glen Newey brilliantly analyses the conceptual intricacies of this complex notion as well as the political stakes in understanding and applying that term. A timely book.' Rainer Forst, University of Frankfurt, and author of Toleration in Conflict (2013) 'Diving into the troubled waters of toleration in political dispute and partisanal advocacy, Newey offers a refreshing perspective and deepens our understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of a pervasive principle in politics.' Anna Elisabetta Galeotti, Universit... degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale 'This is a provocative and highly original contribution to the literature on toleration. Against those who emphasise the conceptual problems of toleration, Newey argues for a recognition of its ineradicably political character. His arguments are trenchant, sophisticated and often disturbing. They draw our attention to the ubiquity of power and to the ways in which modern democratic politics can make toleration necessary, yet deeply problematic. The book will inform and challenge in equal measure. It is a very significant contribution to the field.' Sue Mendus, Morrell Professor Emerita of Political Philosophy, University of York 'Toleration in [Political] Conflict is simply the most impressive philosophical work specifically on toleration that I have ever read ... It is an immensely long and thorough work.' John Horton, Keele University

Advance praise: 'One of the most important philosophers writing on toleration today, Glen Newey brilliantly analyses the conceptual intricacies of this complex notion as well as the political stakes in understanding and applying that term. A timely book.' Rainer Forst, University of Frankfurt, and author of Toleration in Conflict (2013) Advance praise: 'Diving into the troubled waters of toleration in political dispute and partisanal advocacy, Newey offers a refreshing perspective and deepens our understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of a pervasive principle in politics.' Anna Elisabetta Galeotti, Universit... degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale Advance praise: 'This is a provocative and highly original contribution to the literature on toleration. Against those who emphasise the conceptual problems of toleration, Newey argues for a recognition of its ineradicably political character. His arguments are trenchant, sophisticated and often disturbing. They draw our attention to the ubiquity of power and to the ways in which modern democratic politics can make toleration necessary, yet deeply problematic. The book will inform and challenge in equal measure. It is a very significant contribution to the field.' Sue Mendus, Morrell Professor Emerita of Political Philosophy, University of York

Author Information

Glen Newey is Professor of Political Theory at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. He has taught and written about toleration for over 25 years and is the author of Hobbes and Leviathan (2007), After Politics (2001) and Virtue, Reason and Toleration: The Place of Toleration in Ethical and Political Philosophy (1999). He has also written many articles on the theory and practice of toleration and is a frequent reviewer and commentator for publications including the London Review of Books, The Independent, the New Statesman and the Times Literary Supplement.

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