New book on Habermas and "literary rationality"

Habermas and Literary Rationality. Aesthetics of Authenticity

By David Colclasure

(Routledge, May 2009)

About the book:

"Literary scholarship has paid little serious attention to Habermas' philosophy, and, on the other hand, the reception of Habermas has given little attention to the role that literary practice can play in a broader theory of communicative action. Colclasure's argument sets out to demonstrate that a specific, literary form of rationality inheres in literary practice and the public reception of literary works which provides a unique contribution to the political public sphere."

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: The theory of communicative action: a critical synopsis

Chapter 2: An argument for literary rationality within communicative reason

Chapter 3: Aesthetic rationality and the claim of truthfulness/authenticity

Chapter 4: The effects of aesthetic practice

Chapter 5: An account of the concept of literary rationality

Conclusion

About the author:

David L. Colclasure is associate professor at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, Monterey, California. He has a PhD in German Literature from Washington University in St. Louis. His new translation of political texts by Kant for a volume on "Toward Perpetual Peace and Other Writings on Politics, Peace, and History" was published by Yale University Press in 2006.