What Can We Hope For?: Essays on Politics

Richard Rorty, a philosopher, predicted the rise of a Trumpian strongman in America and wrote essays about the state of our politics. His book "What Can We Hope For?" gathers nineteen essays on American and global politics, offering optimistic and realistic ideas to address populism, economic inequality, and environmental devastation. Rorty proposes strategies for fostering social hope and building an inclusive global community of trust, urging us to put our faith in trade unions, universities, social campaigns, and bold political visions.

Format: Hardback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 10 May 2022
Publisher: Princeton University Press

Richard Rorty, a renowned philosopher of recent decades, is widely recognized for his prescient insights into the state of politics. His warning about the rise of a Trumpian strongman in America, almost two decades before the 2016 U.S. presidential election, has gained significant attention. In his collection of essays titled "What Can We Hope For?" published by Penguin Random House, Rorty explores a range of topics related to American and global politics.

The book comprises nineteen essays, including four previously unpublished pieces, making it a valuable resource for those interested in Rorty's thought. These essays cover critical challenges facing democracies, such as populism, economic inequality, overpopulation, and environmental devastation. Rorty responds to these challenges with optimistic and realistic ideas. He proposes strategies for fostering social hope and building an inclusive global community of trust. He emphasizes the importance of trade unions, universities, bottom-up social campaigns, and bold political visions that challenge ideological pieties.

Driven by a sense of urgency about the collective future, "What Can We Hope For?" is filled with striking diagnoses of the political crises of our time and creative proposals for solving them. Rorty's insights and ideas are thought-provoking and offer valuable perspectives on the current political landscape. His work encourages readers to think critically and explore alternative solutions to the challenges we face as a society.

In conclusion, Richard Rorty's "What Can We Hope For?" is a must-read for anyone interested in politics, philosophy, and the future of our world. The collection of essays provides a comprehensive exploration of critical challenges facing democracies and offers innovative solutions for building a more inclusive and hopeful future. Rorty's insights and ideas are relevant and timely, and his work encourages us to think critically and take action to address the political crises of our time.

Weight: 458g
Dimension: 147 x 223 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691217529