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CLASSIC THINKERS NEW Spinoza JUSTIN STEINBERG & VALTTERI VILJANEN Brooklyn College, CUNY; University of Turku Benedict de Spinoza is one of the most controversial and enigmatic thinkers in the history of philosophy. His greatest work, Ethics (1677), developed a comprehensive philosophical system and argued that God and Nature are identical. His scandalous Theological-Political Treatise (1670) provoked outrage during his lifetime due to its biblical criticism, anticlericalism, and defense of the freedom to philosophize. Together, these works earned Spinoza a reputation as a singularly radical thinker. In this book, Steinberg and Viljanen offer a concise and up-to-date account of Spinoza’s thought and its philosophical legacy. They explore the full range of Spinoza’s ideas, from politics and theology to ontology and epistemology. Drawing broadly on Spinoza’s impressive oeuvre, they have crafted a lucid introduction for readers unfamiliar with this important philosopher, as well as a nuanced and enlightening study for more experienced readers. Accessible and compelling, Spinoza is the go-to text for anyone seeking to understand the thought of one of history’s most fascinating thinkers. 229 x 152mm • 192 pages • UK October 2020, US December 2020 HB • 978-0-7456-6489-7 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-0-7456-6490-3 • £16.99 / $24.95 / €21.90 ebook available NEW Adam Smith CRAIG SMITH University of Glasgow ‘Craig Smith’s book triumphantly succeeds in covering the full range of Adam Smith’s work and successfully demonstrates that it has a common unifying thread. Written without jargon, the book can be wholeheartedly recommended as an excellent, accessible introduction.’ Christopher Berry, University of Glasgow ‘This book distils the experience of a very careful scholar and teacher of Adam Smith. The lucid prose dismantles stereotypes and appeals to readers of all levels.’ Maria Pia Paganelli, Trinity University 229 x 152mm • 224 pages • UK February 2020, US April 2020 HB • 978-1-5095-1822-7 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-1-5095-1823-4 • £16.99 / $24.95 / €21.90 ebook available Simmel THOMAS KEMPLE University of British Columbia ‘This beautifully written guide brings into vivid microscopic focus the protean wholeness and diversity of Simmel’s magisterial thinking about money, economy, value, life, metropolitan existence, and the fundamental conflicts of modern culture and society.’ Austin Harrington, University of Leeds 229 x 152mm • 224 pages • 2018 HB • 978-1-5095-2110-4 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-1-5095-2111-1 • £16.99 / $24.95 / €21.90 ebook available See backlist for more titles in the Classic Thinkers series. NEW Socrates WILLIAM J. PRIOR Santa Clara University ‘Prior’s Socrates is an outstanding introduction. Written with clarity and grace, it provides a comprehensive and accessible overview of Socrates’ thought and legacy, guided by a judicious reading of Plato’s dialogues, and informed by a wide knowledge of the secondary literature.’ Richard Kraut, Northwestern University 229 x 152mm • 224 pages • UK September 2019, US November 2019 HB • 978-1-5095-2973-5 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-1-5095-2974-2 • £17.99 / $24.95 / €23.90 ebook available Rousseau CÉLINE SPECTOR Université Michel de Montaigne-Bordeaux 3 ‘Céline Spector provides a comprehensive treatment of Rousseau’s political thought, dealing with both major and less-known writings. She has mastered both anglophone and francophone scholarship and is particularly helpful in showing Rousseau’s place in debates within contemporary political theory.’ Christopher Kelly, Boston College 229 x 152mm • 240 pages • 2019 HB • 978-1-5095-1648-3 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-1-5095-1649-0 • £16.99 / $24.95 / €21.90 ebook available Marx TERRELL CARVER University of Bristol ‘Full of insight and enthusiasm, Terrell Carver’s provocative new book gives us a welcome portrait of Marx as very much our contemporary – a political activist grappling with issues that still concern us, in ways we can still learn from.’ David Leopold, University of Oxford 229 x 152mm • 240 pages • 2017 HB • 978-1-5095-1817-3 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-1-5095-1818-0 • £16.99 / $24.95 / €21.90 ebook available Thomas More JOANNE PAUL University of Sussex ‘For too long, there have been multiple Mores: Thomas More - the “man for all seasons” - has also seemed to be a man of many faces ... In this brilliant, lucid, and pithy account, Joanne Paul reunites More with himself by identifying the central idea that animated his thought and action. This is an original and illuminating work that should be compulsory for any reader of Utopia.’ 229 x 152mm • 192 pages • 2016 HB • 978-0-7456-9216-6 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-0-7456-9217-3 • £15.99 / $24.95 / €19.90 ebook available WWW.POLITYBOOKS.COM 14
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KEY CONTEMPORARY THINKERS NEW Michael Walzer J. TOBY REINER Dickinson College ‘The most thorough and up-to-date examination of the life and ideas of American political theorist Michael Walzer. Toby Reiner deserves huge congratulations for this wellwritten, comprehensive, and utterly engaging study: an absolute must-read for anyone engaging in future Walzer scholarship.’ Brian Orend, University of Waterloo, author of Michael Walzer on War and Justice and War and Political Theory ‘This is an excellent book. Written in an accessible and clear manner, it provides a well-argued, insightful, and much-needed interpretation of Walzer’s works. It should be mandatory reading for everyone interested in political theory and social justice.’ Marcus Agnafors, University of Borås Michael Walzer is one of the world’s most important political thinkers. In this book, J. Toby Reiner provides the most wide-ranging and up-todate introduction to his work available. Examining Walzer’s multivarious writings and work, Reiner develops an illuminating new interpretation of his thought that no political theorist can afford to miss. 229 x 152mm • 204 pages • UK December 2019, US January 2020 HB • 978-1-5095-2629-1 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-1-5095-2630-7 • £17.99 / $24.95 / €21.90 ebook available Canguilhem STUART ELDEN University of Warwick and Monash University ‘The patience, clarity, and erudition we expect of Stuart Elden’s books are on full display in this exceptional work. More than a simple Introduction, Canguilhem enables readers to see the outlines, stakes, and details of the works of an important thinker.’ John Protevi, Louisiana State University ‘This impressive and meticulously researched volume which includes a wealth of references to archival material provides the first comprehensive introduction in English to a figure recognized as a seminal influence by postwar French thinkers, including Foucault and Althusser.’ Clare O’Farrell, Queensland University of Technology Georges Canguilhem was an influential historian and philosopher of science. He produced a series of important works on the natural sciences, including studies of evolution, psychology, vitalism and mechanism, experimentation, monstrosity and disease. Stuart Elden offers the first comprehensive study of Canguilhem in English. 229 x 152mm • 224 pages • 2019 HB • 978-1-5095-2877-6 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-1-5095-2878-3 • £17.99 / $26.95 / €23.90 ebook available Amartya Sen LAWRENCE HAMILTON University of Cambridge and University of the Witwatersrand ‘Amartya Sen’s monumental work has created new foundations for research, policy and action in a wide range of fields. This concise, lucid and lively book will be of immense value to anyone interested in Sen’s essential ideas.’ Jean Drèze, Delhi School of Economics ‘This is a real tour de force examination of key ideas championed by Amartya Sen. Well-written and insightful, it’s a perfect introduction to one of the world’s greatest minds.’ Thom Brooks, Durham Law School, Durham University Amartya Sen is one of the world’s best-known voices for the poor, the destitute and downtrodden and an inspiration for policymakers and activists across the globe. In this book, Lawrence Hamilton provides an excellent, accessible guide to the full range of Sen’s writings, contextualzing his ideas and summarizing the associated debates. 229 x 152mm • 208 pages • 2019 HB • 978-1-5095-1984-2 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-1-5095-1985-9 • £17.99 / $24.95 / €23.90 ebook available Minsky DANIEL H. NEILSON Bard College ‘Capitalism is essentially a financial system, said Minsky fifty years ago, and his thought laid the foundations for understanding how that system works. Reinterpreting Minsky for today, Neilson offers the best available introduction to Minsky’s thought for the modern reader.’ Perry Mehrling, Boston University ‘Daniel Neilson’s book manages an extraordinary feat: the reader understands Minsky’s life and his system of thought in one book. You need to understand Minsky’s ideas to understand capitalism in the twenty-first century. This is the best book to help you do that.’ Stephen Kinsella, University of Limerick No economist has written more incisively and provocatively on financial crisis than Hyman Minsky. This book from monetary economist Daniel H. Neilson provides a systematic overview of Minsky’s thought, covering his entire body of work, revealing how financial crises arise not as exceptions, but out of the normal operation of a capitalist system. 229 x 152mm • 176 pages • 2019 HB • 978-1-5095-2849-3 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-1-5095-2850-9 • £16.99 / $24.95 / €21.90 ebook available See backlist for more titles in the Key Contemporary Thinkers series. WWW.POLITYBOOKS.COM 15

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CLASSIC THINKERS

NEW

Spinoza JUSTIN STEINBERG & VALTTERI VILJANEN Brooklyn College, CUNY; University of Turku Benedict de Spinoza is one of the most controversial and enigmatic thinkers in the history of philosophy. His greatest work, Ethics (1677), developed a comprehensive philosophical system and argued that God and Nature are identical. His scandalous Theological-Political Treatise (1670) provoked outrage during his lifetime due to its biblical criticism, anticlericalism, and defense of the freedom to philosophize. Together, these works earned Spinoza a reputation as a singularly radical thinker. In this book, Steinberg and Viljanen offer a concise and up-to-date account of Spinoza’s thought and its philosophical legacy. They explore the full range of Spinoza’s ideas, from politics and theology to ontology and epistemology. Drawing broadly on Spinoza’s impressive oeuvre, they have crafted a lucid introduction for readers unfamiliar with this important philosopher, as well as a nuanced and enlightening study for more experienced readers. Accessible and compelling, Spinoza is the go-to text for anyone seeking to understand the thought of one of history’s most fascinating thinkers. 229 x 152mm • 192 pages • UK October 2020, US December 2020 HB • 978-0-7456-6489-7 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-0-7456-6490-3 • £16.99 / $24.95 / €21.90 ebook available

NEW

Adam Smith CRAIG SMITH University of Glasgow ‘Craig Smith’s book triumphantly succeeds in covering the full range of Adam Smith’s work and successfully demonstrates that it has a common unifying thread. Written without jargon, the book can be wholeheartedly recommended as an excellent, accessible introduction.’ Christopher Berry, University of Glasgow ‘This book distils the experience of a very careful scholar and teacher of Adam Smith. The lucid prose dismantles stereotypes and appeals to readers of all levels.’ Maria Pia Paganelli, Trinity University 229 x 152mm • 224 pages • UK February 2020, US April 2020 HB • 978-1-5095-1822-7 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-1-5095-1823-4 • £16.99 / $24.95 / €21.90 ebook available

Simmel THOMAS KEMPLE University of British Columbia ‘This beautifully written guide brings into vivid microscopic focus the protean wholeness and diversity of Simmel’s magisterial thinking about money, economy, value, life, metropolitan existence, and the fundamental conflicts of modern culture and society.’ Austin Harrington, University of Leeds 229 x 152mm • 224 pages • 2018 HB • 978-1-5095-2110-4 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-1-5095-2111-1 • £16.99 / $24.95 / €21.90 ebook available

See backlist for more titles in the Classic Thinkers series.

NEW

Socrates WILLIAM J. PRIOR Santa Clara University ‘Prior’s Socrates is an outstanding introduction. Written with clarity and grace, it provides a comprehensive and accessible overview of Socrates’ thought and legacy, guided by a judicious reading of Plato’s dialogues, and informed by a wide knowledge of the secondary literature.’ Richard Kraut, Northwestern University 229 x 152mm • 224 pages • UK September 2019, US November 2019 HB • 978-1-5095-2973-5 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-1-5095-2974-2 • £17.99 / $24.95 / €23.90 ebook available

Rousseau CÉLINE SPECTOR Université Michel de Montaigne-Bordeaux 3 ‘Céline Spector provides a comprehensive treatment of Rousseau’s political thought, dealing with both major and less-known writings. She has mastered both anglophone and francophone scholarship and is particularly helpful in showing Rousseau’s place in debates within contemporary political theory.’ Christopher Kelly, Boston College 229 x 152mm • 240 pages • 2019 HB • 978-1-5095-1648-3 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-1-5095-1649-0 • £16.99 / $24.95 / €21.90 ebook available

Marx TERRELL CARVER University of Bristol ‘Full of insight and enthusiasm, Terrell Carver’s provocative new book gives us a welcome portrait of Marx as very much our contemporary – a political activist grappling with issues that still concern us, in ways we can still learn from.’ David Leopold, University of Oxford 229 x 152mm • 240 pages • 2017 HB • 978-1-5095-1817-3 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-1-5095-1818-0 • £16.99 / $24.95 / €21.90 ebook available

Thomas More JOANNE PAUL University of Sussex ‘For too long, there have been multiple Mores: Thomas More - the “man for all seasons” - has also seemed to be a man of many faces ... In this brilliant, lucid, and pithy account, Joanne Paul reunites More with himself by identifying the central idea that animated his thought and action. This is an original and illuminating work that should be compulsory for any reader of Utopia.’ 229 x 152mm • 192 pages • 2016 HB • 978-0-7456-9216-6 • £55.00 / $69.95 / €67.90 PB • 978-0-7456-9217-3 • £15.99 / $24.95 / €19.90 ebook available

WWW.POLITYBOOKS.COM 14

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