
Enlightenment
Athenian Political Thought and the Dilemmas of Modernity
Christopher Rocco(Author)
University of California Press
1st Edition
Published on 26. February 1997
Book
Hardback
253 pages
978-0-520-20494-2 (ISBN)
Description
Weaving together ancient Greek texts and postmodernist theory, Christopher Rocco addresses the debate between modernity and postmodernity that dominates contemporary theory. Interpreting Greek drama within a critical framework informed by contemporary theorists Foucault, Habermas, Horkheimer and Adorno, Tragedy and Enlightenment makes a sophisticated argument for the continuing relevance of the classical past, focusing on the subject of democracy.
The starting point for Rocco's analysis is the impasse in contemporary political and cultural theory over the possibility and desirability of democracy in a postmodern world. After explaining the competing positions in the current debate, Rocco argues that ancient Greek tragedy and dialogue-specifically Sophocles' Oedipus, Plato's Republic and Gorgias, and Aeschylus' Oresteia-suggest alternate constructions for this and other postmodern problems.
Rocco gives a detailed analysis of the contemporary divide over the theories of Juergen Habermas and Michel Foucault and provides a provocative reading of Horkheimer and Adorno's Dialectic of Enlightenment. This original contribution to political and cultural discourse brings us to a new understanding of familiar texts and will alter the grounds of debate for students and scholars of the classical and the contemporary worlds.
The starting point for Rocco's analysis is the impasse in contemporary political and cultural theory over the possibility and desirability of democracy in a postmodern world. After explaining the competing positions in the current debate, Rocco argues that ancient Greek tragedy and dialogue-specifically Sophocles' Oedipus, Plato's Republic and Gorgias, and Aeschylus' Oresteia-suggest alternate constructions for this and other postmodern problems.
Rocco gives a detailed analysis of the contemporary divide over the theories of Juergen Habermas and Michel Foucault and provides a provocative reading of Horkheimer and Adorno's Dialectic of Enlightenment. This original contribution to political and cultural discourse brings us to a new understanding of familiar texts and will alter the grounds of debate for students and scholars of the classical and the contemporary worlds.
More details
Series
Edition
First Edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Berkerley
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 159 mm
Thickness: 0 mm
Weight
590 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-520-20494-2 (9780520204942)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Christopher Rocco is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Connecticut.