Hannah Arendt and Simone Weil: Unprecedented Conversations: Kathryn Lawson: Bloomsbury Academic

Hannah Arendt and Simone Weil

Unprecedented Conversations

Hannah Arendt and Simone Weil

Unprecedented Conversations

Description

Hannah Arendt and Simone Weil were two of the most compelling political thinkers of the 20th century who, despite having similar life-experiences, developed radically distinct political philosophies. This unique dialogue between the writings of Arendt and Weil highlights Arendt's secular humanism, her emphasis on heroic action, and her rejection of the moral approach to politics, contrasted starkly with Weil's religious approach, her faith in the power of divine Goodness, and her other-centric ethic of suffering and affliction. The writings here respect the profound differences between Arendt and Weil whilst pulling out the shared preoccupations of power, violence, freedom, resistance, responsibility, attention, aesthetics, and vulnerability. Without shying away from exploring the more difficult concepts in these philosophers' works, Hannah Arendt and Simone Weil also aims to pull out the relevance of their writings for contemporary issues.

Foreword
List of Figures
List of Abbreviations

Introduction: Unprecedented Conversations in an Unprecedented Time

Part I: Power, Violence and the Adversaries of Freedom
1. On Power in Simone Weil and Hannah Arendt: Contrasts and Correlations, Lissa McCullough (California State University, USA)
2. Tyranny Without a Tyrant: Hannah Arendt and Simone Weil on Bureaucracy, Marina Lademacher (University of Sussex, UK)
3. Living in Dark Times: The Seduction of Totalitarian Evil, Maria Cabaud Meaney (Independent Scholar)
4. Political Violence: A Contradiction in Terms, Rose A. Owen (University of Chicago, USA)

Part II: Political Evil and Resistance
5. We Come and Go, the World is Here to Stay: Hannah Arendt's Political Thought in Action, Elvira Roncalli (Carroll College, USA)
6. An Ethics of God's Grace to Balance a Politics of Worldly Affliction: A Weilian Companion to Roncalli on Arendt, Kathryn Lawson (Carleton University, Canada)
7. Rerooting “We Refugees”: Considerations on Conditions of Displacement from Hannah Arendt and Simone Weil, Scott B. Ritner (Colorado University, USA)
8. Attention as a Contested Ethical and Political Resource: Simone Weil and Hannah Arendt on the Inner Origins of Freedom, Paolo Monti (Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, Italy)

Part III: Art, Aesthetics and the Vulnerabilities of Political Appearances
9. Paying Attention to Affliction: Hannah Arendt and Simone Weil on Tragic Storytelling, Pascale Devette (Université de Montréal, Canada)

10. Embodying the In-Between: An Arendtian Reflection on Simone Weil's Venice Saved, Thomas Sojer (Universität Erfurt, Germany)
11. Beauty as the Beginning and End of Justice: Aesthetic Politics in Hannah Arendt and Simone Weil, Catherine Craig (Arizona State University, USA) and Sara McDonald (Huron University, Canada)
12. On the Power of Words, Ian Rhoad (American University, USA)

List of Contributors
Index

Product details

Published	Aug 21 2025
Format	Paperback
Edition	1st
Extent	248
ISBN	9781350344457
Imprint	Bloomsbury Academic
Illustrations	2 bw illus
Dimensions	9 x 6 inches
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing

Weil and Arendt have frequently been put side by side. We owe thanks to Lawson and Livingstone for this insightful and wide ranging collection of essays that now brings these two prominent philosophers into an actual conversation, helping us understand both of them better.

Eric O. Springsted, founder of The American Weil Society; Author of Simone Weil for the Twenty-First Century
This juxtaposition of two gifted twentieth century philosophers creates a penetrating conversation over deeply held convictions on the political events of their time and eternal philosophical issues. The Weil and Arendt scholars contribute enriching insights that sharpen the ability to understand profound questions confronting today's world, from political violence to God's grace.

E. Jane Doering, Professor Emerita of French Language and Literature, University of Notre Dame, USA
This illuminating and wide range of essays guides its readers to mind-opening vistas in thinking about Arendt and Weil. Timely, resourceful, and engaging - a meaningful addition to the literature.

Ronald K.L. Collins, Editor of Attention and Co-editor with Eric Springsted, A Declaration of Duties Toward Humankind (2023)