The New Religious Intolerance: Overcoming the Politics of Fear in an Anxious Age

Biographical note: NussbaumMartha C.: Martha C. Nussbaum is Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Nussbaum, Martha Craven 1947- (Author)
Format: Electronic Book
Language:English
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Published: Berlin De Gruyter 2012
Cambridge, Mass. Harvard University Press 2012
In:Year: 2012
Reviews:The New Religious Intolerance: Overcoming the Politics of Fear in an Anxious Age (2014) (Campbell, David E.)
Further subjects:B Intolerance
B Fear Religious aspects
B Religious freedom
B Religious tolerance
B Religious Tolerance
B RELIGION / Religious Intolerance, Persecution & Conflict
B Freedom Of Religion
B Anxiety
B Religion, Religionsphilosophie
B Religious Discrimination
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Summary:Biographical note: NussbaumMartha C.: Martha C. Nussbaum is Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago.
Drawing inspiration from philosophy, history, and literature, Martha C. Nussbaum takes us to task for our religious intolerance, identifies the fear behind it, and offers a way past fear toward a more equitable, imaginative, and free society, through the consistent application of universal principles of respect for conscience.
What impulse prompted some newspapers to attribute the murder of 77 Norwegians to Islamic extremists, until it became evident that a right-wing Norwegian terrorist was the perpetrator? Why did Switzerland, a country of four minarets, vote to ban those structures? How did a proposed Muslim cultural center in lower Manhattan ignite a fevered political debate across the United States? In The New Religious Intolerance, Martha C. Nussbaum surveys such developments and identifies the fear behind these reactions. Drawing inspiration from philosophy, history, and literature, she suggests a route past this limiting response and toward a more equitable, imaginative, and free society.Fear, Nussbaum writes, is 0more narcissistic than other emotions.0 Legitimate anxieties become distorted and displaced, driving laws and policies biased against those different from us. Overcoming intolerance requires consistent application of universal principles of respect for conscience. Just as important, it requires greater understanding. Nussbaum challenges us to embrace freedom of religious observance for all, extending to others what we demand for ourselves. She encourages us to expand our capacity for empathetic imagination by cultivating our curiosity, seeking friendship across religious lines, and establishing a consistent ethic of decency and civility. With this greater understanding and respect, Nussbaum argues, we can rise above the politics of fear and toward a more open and inclusive future.
ISBN:0674065913
Access:Restricted Access
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.4159/harvard.9780674065918