Emergencies and Politics

Reviews / Votes

'This is an outstanding book on an under-treated and important topic. With careful and engaging arguments, Sorell develops a 'sober' Hobbesianism that supports a liberal Leviathan and a 'thin' conception of security for international politics, enabling it to speak to some of the most pressing real-world emergencies we presently face. This is Hobbesian political thinking at its best.' Catriona McKinnon, University of Reading 'Although emergency situations are prevalent in public life, surprisingly little attention has been paid to them in contemporary political philosophy. Emergencies and Politics is a timely and praiseworthy attempt to fill this gap, and is sure to become the standard reference in the field. Sorell convincingly shows that the violation of moral precepts in times of emergency does not create a 'black hole' in which everything is permitted, but is anchored in conventional morality.' Daniel Statman, University of Haifa 'Tom Sorell's Emergencies and Politics is 'not a book about Hobbes,' as the author points out. However, it is an outstanding example of how Hobbes's thought could be engaged in view of important present-day concerns, and therefore should be recommended to a Hobbesian audience. There is a particularly strong case for the relevance of Hobbes's ideas with regard to ethical and political questions raised by emergencies.' Maximilian Jaede, Hobbes Studies