New humanities series focuses on contemporary, real-world issues.
24 Jan 2017
Off the Fence presents short, sharply argued texts in applied moral and political philosophy, with an interdisciplinary focus. The series constitutes a source of arguments on the substantive issues applied philosophers are concerned with: contemporary real-world issues relating to violence, human nature, justice, equality and democracy, self and society.
The first two books of the series, which have just come out, are The Right of Necessity: Moral Cosmopolitanism and Global Poverty, by Alejandra Mancilla, and Complicity: Between Collaboration and Commitment, by Thomas Docherty. ‘The Right of Necessity is philosophical argument at its best: direct, challenging, clearly written, and focused on an issue of utmost importance’ (Peter Singer)
Docherty offers “an original exploration of our responsibility to critique and resist systems of inequality, deceit and closure. (Larry Ray). In forthcoming books, Maren Behrensen investigates ‘the various practices of identity management’ in The State and the Self: Identity and Identities; and Michael Neu rejects contemporary justifications of violence in Just Liberal Violence: Sweatshops, Torture, War.
The series is edited by Bob Brecher, Robin Dunford and Michael Neu, in partnership with Rowman and Littlefield International. It demonstrates applied philosophy to be at once rigorous, relevant and accessible – philosophy-in-use.
The Off the Fence launch takes place on Friday, 27 January, 5:30-7:30pm, at the Westminster Forum, 5th floor, Department for Politics and International Relations, University of Westminster, 32-38 Wells St, W1T 3UW London.
