Norman Geras's Books

The Legacy of Rosa Luxemburg

By: Norman Geras

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An important contribution to our understanding of twentieth-century Marxism During the first decades of the twentieth century, Rosa Luxemburg was the leader of the workers’ movement in Poland and Germany. She made a remarkable contribution to socialist theory and practice, yet her legacy remains in dispute. In this book Norman Geras interrogates and refutes the myths that have developed around her work. She was an opponent of socialist participation in the First World War and, as Geras shows, her views on socialist strategy in Russia were closer to Lenin’s than any other leader’s. Geras explores the development of Luxemburg’s critique in the period following the war and demonstrates how her thought is distinct from the social democratic or anarchist theories into which it is often subsumed. Geras brings new light to bear on one of the most misrepresented figures in radical history, illustrating her inspiring lack of complacency and her commitment to questioning those in authority on both the Right and the Left.

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210

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Verso Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

1781688737

ISBN 13

9781781688731

The Norman Geras Reader

'what's There is There'

By: Norman Geras

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The Norman Geras Reader

'what's There is There'

By: Norman Geras

This is the first book to gather the key writings of the distinguished political theorist Norman Geras into a single volume, providing a comprehensive overview of the thinking of one of the most important Marxist philosophers in the post-war era. Among the essays included here are 'The Controversy about Marx and Justice', 'The Duty to Bring Aid', 'Primo Levi and Jean Amery: Shame' and the contentious 'Euston Manifesto', which lays down a set of central principles for the democratic left in the twenty-first century. The reader is rounded out with several posts from Geras's much-loved and widely read 'Normblog', as well as companion essays by Alan Johnson and Terry Glavin, which explore how Geras's philosophical concerns led to his more recent, trenchant critiques of the direction of left-wing politics.

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265

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ISBN 10

1526103850

ISBN 13

9781526103857

Literature of Revolution

Essays on Marxism

By: Norman Geras

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Literature of Revolution

Essays on Marxism

By: Norman Geras

This influential collection explores the pivotal texts and topics in the Marxist tradition. Ranging over questions of social theory, political theory, moral philosophy and literary criticism, it looks at the thought of Marx and Trotsky, Luxemburg, Lenin and Althusser. They include Geras's influential and widely-cited treatment of fetishism in Capital, his comprehensive review of recent debates on Marxism and justice, discussions on political organisation, revolutionary mass action and party pluralism, and a novel analysis of the literary power of Trotsky's writing. In close dialogue with common themes and arguments in the literature of revolutionary Marxism, Geras brings some of his persistent preoccupations to the fore; with the normative foundations and some of the epistemological assumptions of this tradition, with issues of socialist democracy, working class self-education and emancipation.

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341

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Verso Books

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ISBN 10

1786630087

ISBN 13

9781786630087

Marx and Human Nature

Refutation of a Legend

By: Norman Geras

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Marx and Human Nature

Refutation of a Legend

By: Norman Geras

“Marx did not reject the idea of a human nature. He was right not to do so.” That is the conclusion of this passionate and polemical new work by Norman Geras. In it, he places the sixth of Marx’s Theses on Feuerbach under rigorous scrutiny. He argues that this ambiguous statement—widely cited as evidence that Marx broke with all conceptions of human nature in 1845—must be read in the context of Marx’s work as a whole. His later writings are informed by an idea of a specifically human nature that fulfills both explanatory and normative functions. The belief that Marx’s historical materialism entailed a denial of the conception of human nature is, Geras writes, “an old fixation, which the Althusserian influence in this matter has fed upon … Because this fixation still exists and is misguided, it is still necessary to challenge it.” One hundred years after Marx’s death, this timely essay—combining the strengths of analytical philosophy and classical Marxism—rediscovers a central part of his heritage.

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144

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Verso Books

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ISBN 10

1784782378

ISBN 13

9781784782375

Solidarity in the Conversation of Humankind

The Ungroundable Liberalism of Richard Rorty

By: Norman Geras

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Solidarity in the Conversation of Humankind

The Ungroundable Liberalism of Richard Rorty

By: Norman Geras

What are the sources of solidarity? Do universalist motives have an important place among them? And how are they related to arguments about human nature and about truth? In this new book, Norman Geras engages with the work of Richard Rorty to explore the paradoxes of a liberalism which rejects any determinate view of human nature. He begins by examining Rorty's thesis concerning rescuer behavior during the Holocaust. Measuring it against existing research on the subject and the testimony of rescuers themselves, Geras questions Rorty's use of their moral example as a challenge to universalist assumptions. He then considers some of the problems in Rorty's anti-essentialism: his shifting usages of "human nature"; the paradoxical plea for extensive forms of solidarity on the basis of parochial communitarian premises; the relationship of pragmatist notions of truth to issues of justice; and the project of a democratic, would-be "humanist" utopia grounded only on contingencies. Solidarity in the Conversation of Humankind is an imagined dialogue with Rorty-influential, eloquent and unorthodox champion of a human radical liberalism.

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169

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Verso Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

1789607132

ISBN 13

9781789607130

The contract of mutual indifference

Political philosophy after the Holocaust

By: Norman Geras

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The contract of mutual indifference

Political philosophy after the Holocaust

By: Norman Geras

The idea which I shall present here came to me more or less out of the blue. I was on a train some five years ago, on my way to spend a day at Headingley, and I was reading a book about the death camp Sobibor... The particular, not very appropriate, conjunction involved for me in this train journey...had the effect of fixing my thoughts on one of the more dreadful features of human coexistence, when in the shape of a simple five-word phrase the idea occurred to me.' The contract of mutual indifference In this classic work, newly reissued here with a preface by Oliver Kamm, Norman Geras discusses a central aspect of the experience of the Holocaust with a view to exploring its most important contemporary implications. A bold and powerful synthesis of memorial, literary record, historical reflection and political theory, Geras’s argument focuses on the figure of the bystander – the bystander to the destruction of the Jews of Europe and the bystander to more recent atrocity – to consider the moral consequences of looking on without active responses at persecution and great suffering. This book argues that we owe a duty of help to those who are suffering under terrible oppression. Geras contends that the tragedy of European Jewry – so widely pondered by historians, social scientists, psychologists, theologians and others – has not yet found its proper reflection within political philosophy. Attempting to fill the gap, he adapts an old idea from within that tradition of enquiry, the idea of the social contract, to the task of thinking about the triangular relation between perpetrators, victims and bystanders, and draws a sombre conclusion from it. Geras goes on to ask how far this conclusion may be offset by the hypothesis of a universal duty to bring aid. The contract of mutual indifference is an original and challenging work, aimed at the complacent abstraction of much contemporary theory-building. It is supplemented by three shorter essays on the implications of the Jewish catastrophe for conceptions of human nature and progress.

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196

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Manchester University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1526104776

ISBN 13

9781526104779

Crimes Against Humanity

Birth of a concept

By: Norman Geras

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Crimes Against Humanity

Birth of a concept

By: Norman Geras

This book tells the story of the emergence of the concept of crimes against humanity. It examines its origins, the ethical assumptions underpinning it, its legal and philosophical boundaries, and some of the controversies connected with it. A brief historical introduction is followed by an exploration of the various meanings of the term ‘crimes against humanity’ that have been suggested; a definition is proposed linking it to the idea of basic human rights. The book looks at some problems with the boundaries of the concept, the threshold for its proper application and the related issue of humanitarian intervention. It concludes with a discussion of the prospects for the further development of crimes-against-humanity law. The work serves as a clear and compact introduction for students of politics, philosophy and law, as well as for the general reading public.

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399

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Manchester University Press

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ISBN 10

1847797717

ISBN 13

9781847797711

The contract of mutual indifference

Political philosophy after the Holocaust

By: Norman Geras

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The contract of mutual indifference

Political philosophy after the Holocaust

By: Norman Geras

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196

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Manchester University Press

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1526104776

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9781526104779

Literature of Revolution

Essays on Marxism

By: Norman Geras

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Literature of Revolution

Essays on Marxism

By: Norman Geras

Essential essays on key Marxist writers from a leading political thinker Literature of Revolution explores the pivotal texts and topics in the Marxist tradition, drawing on the works of Marx, Trotsky, Luxemburg, Lenin, and Althusser. In close dialogue with common themes and arguments in revolutionary Marxist thought, Geras brings some of his persistent preoccupations to the fore: the relationship between Marxism and justice; the debates on political organization; and the role of revolutionary mass action and party pluralism; as well as an enthralling exploration into the literary power of Trotsky’s writing.

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350

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Verso Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

1786630095

ISBN 13

9781786630094

The Legacy of Rosa Luxemburg

By: Norman Geras

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The Legacy of Rosa Luxemburg

By: Norman Geras

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210

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Verso Books

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ISBN 10

1781688737

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9781781688731

Inequality and Democratic Egalitarianism

'Marx's Economy and Beyond' and Other Essays

By: Mark Harvey,Norman Geras

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Inequality and Democratic Egalitarianism

'Marx's Economy and Beyond' and Other Essays

By: Mark Harvey,Norman Geras

This book arose out of a friendship between a political philosopher and an economic sociologist, and their recognition of an urgent political need to address the extreme inequalities of wealth and power in contemporary societies. It provides a new analysis of what generates inequalities in rights to income, property and public goods in contemporary societies. By critiquing Marx’s foundational theory of exploitation, it moves beyond Marx, both in its analysis of inequality, and in its concept of just distribution. It points to the major historical transformations that create educational and knowledge inequalities, inequalities in rights to public goods that combine with those to private wealth. It argues that asymmetries of economic power are inherently gendered and racialized, and that forms of coercion and slavery are deeply embedded in the histories of capitalism.

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164

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Manchester University Press

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ISBN 10

1526114054

ISBN 13

9781526114051

Crimes against Humanity

Birth of a Concept

By: Norman Geras

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Crimes against Humanity

Birth of a Concept

By: Norman Geras

This book tells the story of the emergence of the concept of crimes against humanity. It examines its origins, the ethical assumptions underpinning it, its legal and philosophical boundaries, and some of the controversies connected with it. A brief historical introduction is followed by an exploration of the various meanings of the term "crimes against humanity" that have been suggested; a definition is proposed linking it to the idea of basic human rights. The book looks at some problems with the boundaries of the concept, the threshold for its proper application and the related issue of humanitarian intervention. It concludes with a discussion of the prospects for the further development of crimes-against-humanity law. The work serves as a clear and compact introduction for students of politics, philosophy and law, as well as for the general reading public.

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144

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Manchester University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0719082412

ISBN 13

9780719082412

Word Power Made Easy

The Complete Handbook for Building a Superior Vocabulary

By: Norman Lewis

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Word Power Made Easy

The Complete Handbook for Building a Superior Vocabulary

By: Norman Lewis

The most effective vocabulary builder in the English language provides a simple, step-by-step method that will increase your knowledge and mastery of written and spoken English. Word Power Made Easy does more than just add words to your vocabulary. It teaches ideas and a method of broadening your knowledge as an integral part of the vocabulary building process. Do you always use the right word? Can you pronounce it—and spell it—correctly? Do you know how to avoid illiterate expressions? Do you speak grammatically, without embarrassing mistakes? If the answer to any of these questions is no, you need Word Power Made Easy. Written in a lively, accessible, and timeless style, and loaded with helpful reviews, progress checks, and quizzes to reinforce the material, this classic resource has helped millions learn to speak and write with confidence.

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616

Publisher

Anchor

Published Date

ISBN 10

0307817490

ISBN 13

9780307817495

Human Rights and Military Intervention

By: Alexander Moseley,Richard Norman

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Human Rights and Military Intervention

By: Alexander Moseley,Richard Norman

This title was first published in 2002. Was the bombing of Belgrade morally justified as an attempt to halt 'ethnic cleansing' in Kosovo'? Should Western states have tried to prevent the slaughter in Rwanda? Are there, indeed, genuinely universal 'human rights' which could justify such interventions, or is the upholding of such rights simply the imposition of culturally specific values on other cultures? Is national sovereignty a necessary and legitimate impediment to intervention, or are we seeing the emergence of a 'new international order' in which national boundaries are less significant? These and related ethical and political questions are addressed from a wide variety of perspectives by the contributors to this book. The answers presented form important reading for students and researchers in philosophy and in international relations, and for anyone interested in the difficult questions about whether and when other states may intervene in a country's internal affairs in order to uphold human rights.

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407

Publisher

Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

135173900X

ISBN 13

9781351739009

The Ages of Faith

Popular Religion in Late Medieval England and Western Europe

By: Norman Tanner

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The Ages of Faith

Popular Religion in Late Medieval England and Western Europe

By: Norman Tanner

Christianity in the later Middle Ages was flourishing, popular and vibrant and the institutional church was generally popular - in stark contrast to the picture of corruption and decline painted by the later Reformers which persists even today. Norman Tanner, the pre-eminent historian of the later medieval church, provides a rich and authoritative history of religion in this pivotal period. Despite signs of turbulence and demands for reform, he demonstrates that the church remained powerful, self-confident and deeply rooted. Weaving together key themes of religious history - the Christian roots of Europe; the crusades; the problematic question of the Inquisition; the relationship between the church and secular state; the central role of monasticism; and, the independence of the English church - "The Ages of Faith" is an impressive tribute to a lifetime's research into this subject. But to many readers the central fascination of "The Ages of Faith" will be its perceptive insights into popular and individual spiritual experience: sin, piety, penance, heresy, the role of the mystics and even 'making merry'. "The Ages of Faith" is a major contribution to the Reformation debate and offers a revealing vision of individual and popular religion in an important period so long obscured by the drama of the Reformation.

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248

Publisher

Bloomsbury Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

0857710192

ISBN 13

9780857710192

World of Baby Names, A (Revised)

By: Teresa Norman

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World of Baby Names, A (Revised)

By: Teresa Norman

One of the most comprehensive baby name reference guides available, featuring more than 30,000 baby names, has been revised and expanded. Each chapter focuses on names from specific countries, regions, and ethnicities, including details about traditional naming customs. Each entry contains various spellings and pronunciations, as well as the name's meaning, history, etymology, and derivations.

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644

Publisher

Penguin

Published Date

ISBN 10

1440625565

ISBN 13

9781440625565

Crusading and Warfare in Medieval and Renaissance Europe

By: Norman Housley

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Crusading and Warfare in Medieval and Renaissance Europe

By: Norman Housley

These studies span the period from the origins of the crusading movement in the 11th century until its final active phase during the Renaissance. Some of the articles spring from Norman Housley’s work on crusading against Christian heretics, mercenary companies and lay powers which were involved in conflict with the Church. Others reflect his interest in the way crusading developed after the fall of the Holy Land to the Muslims in 1291. A third group looks at other forms taken by religious warfare in Europe during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. Certain themes recur throughout. One is the variety of ways in which war in God’s name was portrayed and justified. Another is the conflict of interest brought about by the diversity of crusading in the period from c.1200 onwards. Above all, the author shows the complexity, longevity and significance of a movement whose impact on medieval society was massive and whose repercussions were profound.

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