The New Conservatism

Jürgen Habermas is well known for his scholarly works on the theoretical
foundations of the human sciences. The New Conservatism brings to light another side
of Habermas's talents, showing him as an incisive commentator on a wide range of
contemporary themes.The 1980s have been a crucial decade in the political life of
the Federal Republic of Germany. The transformations that accompanied a shift from
13 years of Social Democratic rule to government by the conservative Christian
Democrats are captured in this series of insightful, often passionate political and
cultural commentaries. The central theme uniting the essays is the German problem of
"coming to terms with the past," a problem that has important implications outside
Germany as well.Of particular note are the essays on what has come to be known as
the Historians' Debate: Habermas's attack on the revisionist German historians who
have been trying to trivialize and "normalize" the history of the Nazi period, and
his defense of the need for a realistic and discriminating coining to terms with the
past in Germany. Habermas also takes up the recent fracas concerning Martin
Heidegger's involvement with Nazism and the rise of the neoconservative movement in
Europe and America. In particular, the essay on "The New Obscurity" combines
Habermas's analysis of the problems of the welfare state with his suggestions for
avenues open to utopian impulses today.Jürgen Habermas is Professor of Philosophy at
the University of Frankfurt. The New Conservatism is included in the series Studies
in Contemporary German Social Thought, edited by Thomas McCarthy.
 
Social theorist Jürgen Habermas reveals yet another facet of his
extraordinary talents in these insightful, often passionate political and cultural
commentaries on contemporary German life. The central theme uniting the book is the
German problem of "coming to terms with the past" - a problem that has important
implications outside Germany as well.Topics include the debate over Martin
Heidegger's ties to National Socialism, the rise of neoconservatism, and the avenues
open to utopianism today. Of particular note are the essays on what has come to be
known as the Historians' Debate: Habermas's attack on the revisionist German
historians who have been trying to trivialize and "normalize" the history of the
Nazi period and his defense of the need for a realistic assessment of Germany's
past.Jürgen Habermas is Professor of Philosophy at the University of
Frankfurt.