Overview
The first-person plural - 'we, ourselves' - is the hallmark of a democracy under the rule of law in the modern age. Exploring the roots of this 'rule of recognition', Bert van Roermund offers an in-depth reading of Rousseau's work, focusing on its most fundamental leitmotif: the sovereignty of the people. Providing an innovative understanding of Rousseau's politico-legal philosophy, this book illustrates the legal significance of plural agency and what it means for a people to act together: What do people share when using the word 'we'? What makes a people's actions political? And what exactly is 'bodily' about their joint commitment? Testing these ideas in three controversial modern debates - bio-technology, immigrant rights and populism - Van Roermund offers a critical assessment of 'political theology' in contemporary legal environments and establishes a new interpretation of joint action as bodily entrenched. Incisive and cutting-edge, this book is crucial reading for scholars of jurisprudence and legal and political philosophy, particularly those with a focus on Rousseauian theory. Students of jurisprudence and constitutional theory will also benefit from its philosophical and political insights, as well as its discussions of pressing real-world issues.
Full Product Details
Author: Bert van Roermund
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
Imprint: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
Dimensions:
Width: 15.60cm
, Height: 2.20cm
, Length: 23.40cm
Weight: 0.574kg
ISBN: 9781788976435
ISBN 10: 1788976436
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 15 September 2020
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: To order
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.
Reviews
'Precision and vitality of thought are often at odds in works of legal philosophy. Never so in the work of Bert van Roermund, whose new book Law in the First Person Plural takes us back to Rousseau, just in time. We are fortunate to be able to think with him about what is popular and what is constitutional or legislative, political or institutional, in the contexts of popular constitutionalism, the EU's democratic deficit and more.' -- Bonnie Honig, Brown University, US
'Precision and vitality of thought are often at odds in works of Legal Philosophy. Never so in the work of Bert van Roermund, whose new book Law in the First Person Plural takes us back to Rousseau, just in time. We are fortunate to be able to think with him about what is popular and what is constitutional or legislative, political or institutional, in the contexts of popular constitutionalism, the EU's democratic deficit and more.' -- Bonnie Honig, Brown University, US
Author Information
Bert van Roermund, Honorary Professor Emeritus of Philosophy of Law, Department of Public Law and Governance, Tilburg University Law School, the Netherlands
