Another Universalism: Seyla Benhabib and the Future of Critical Theory

Seyla Benhabib's ongoing work has expanded the range and scope of critical theory beyond its origins to address questions of gender, migration, and difference. This book brings together an ensemble of leading theorists and younger voices to explore new dimensions of Benhabib's thought across critical theory, feminism, and democratic theory, foregrounding the intricate relationship between critique and universality.

Another Universalism provides both a wide-ranging and comprehensive engagement with Benhabib's path-breaking interventions and a panoramic tour of the cutting edge of critical theory today. Contributors take part in key debates about the field's past and future, tackling subjects such as the relationship between democracy and cosmopolitanism, the role of law in emancipatory struggles, human domination of nature, the deprovincialization of critical theory concerning questions of race and empire, as well as Hannah Arendt's continuing significance. Covering a wide range of debates and themes, Another Universalism is united by a core question: How can universal norms of human freedom, equality, and dignity be reconciled with particular contexts, especially ones of exclusion, difference, and adversity? Searching for universalisms that emerge from the concrete struggles of emancipatory movements, this book points toward an expansive, inclusive, and radical democratic vision.


About the Author

Stefan Eich is assistant professor of government at Georgetown University.

Anna Jurkevics is assistant professor of political science at the University of British Columbia.

Nishin Nathwani is a PhD candidate in political science at Yale University and the senior adviser at Rainbow Railroad.

Nica Siegel is visiting assistant professor of law, jurisprudence, and social thought at Amherst College.