Against Symbolic Liberalism
Liverpool University Press (Verlag)
978-1-83624-466-0 (ISBN)
He introduces the concept of symbolic liberalism - a contradiction in which individuals espouse classical liberal principles, yet act in politically illiberal ways. This, he argues, has exacerbated the pathologies of late modernity: authoritarianism, economic precarity, and environmental destruction, now all unfolding in a climate where reasonable debate seems increasingly impossible.
Examining key flashpoints of contemporary polarization, Hanafi critiques how symbolic liberalism inflates the universality of rights while simultaneously narrowing the space for dialogue. Rather than this rigid ideological stance, he calls for a dialogical turn, a renewed public sphere where diverse conceptions of the ‘common good’ engage in genuine conversation.
Blending political and moral philosophy with sociological critique, Hanafi offers a path forward in an age when intellectual exchange is more necessary, yet also more imperilled, than ever. Against Symbolic Liberalism is not just a critique of polarization but a critical and impassioned call to reclaim meaningful intellectual discourse.
Sari Hanafi is a Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies at the American University of Beirut. He served as President of the International Sociological Association (2018–23) and Vice President of the Arab Council for Social Sciences (2015–16). An International Fellow of the British Academy, he was also the Editor of Idafat: The Arab Journal of Sociology (2007–22). His contributions to the field have been recognized with some of the Arab world’s most prestigious academic awards, including the Abdelhamid Shouman Award (2014) and the Kuwait Award for Social Science (2015). In 2019, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the National University of San Marcos, Peru.
Preface by Michael Buroway
Introduction
From Classical Liberalism to Political Liberalism
Symbolic Liberalism
The Dialogical Liberal Project
Societal Polarisation and Academic Freedom
Secularism as Religion vs. Multicultural Secularism
Sexual and Gender Diversity: Embracing vs Celebrating
The Demise of Family Authority: The Case of Swedish Compulsory Child Removal
Conclusion
| Erscheinungsdatum | 24.07.2025 |
|---|---|
| Zusatzinfo | 8 Illustrations |
| Verlagsort | Liverpool |
| Sprache | englisch |
| Maße | 163 x 239 mm |
| Themenwelt | Sozialwissenschaften ► Soziologie ► Makrosoziologie |
| ISBN-10 | 1-83624-466-5 / 1836244665 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1-83624-466-0 / 9781836244660 |
| Zustand | Neuware |
| Informationen gemäß Produktsicherheitsverordnung (GPSR) | |
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