Book description
In addition to war, terrorism, and unchecked military violence,
modernity is also subject to less visible but no less venomous
conflicts. Global in nature, these “culture wars” exacerbate the
tensions between tradition and innovation, virtue and freedom.
Internationally acclaimed scholar Fred Dallmayr charts a course beyond
these persistent but curable dichotomies in Integral Pluralism: Beyond
Culture Wars. Consulting diverse fields such as philosophy, literature,
political science, and religious studies, Dallmayr equates modern
history with a process of steady pluralization. This process, which
Dallmayr calls “integral pluralism,” requires new connections and
creates ethical responsibilities. Dallmayr critically compares integral
pluralism against the theories of Carl Schmitt, the Religious Right,
international “realism,” and so-called political Islam. Drawing on the
works of James, Heidegger, Gadamer, and Merleau-Ponty, Integral
Pluralism offers sophisticated and carefully researched solutions for
the conflicts of the modern world. Fred Dallmayr, Emeritus Packey J.
Dee Professor of Political Science at Notre Dame University, is the
author or editor of numerous books, including In Search of the Good
Life: A Pedagogy for Troubled Times. He lives in South Bend, Indiana.
