A Dangerous Mind
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Carl Schmitt in Post-War European Thought
Jan-Werner Müller
Offering a fresh account of Schmitt’s life and career along with discussions of his key concepts, Müller explains why interest in the political theorist continues. He assesses the current uses of Schmitt’s thought in debates on globalization and the quest for a liberal world order. He also offers new insights into the liberalization of political thinking in post-authoritarian societies and the persistent vulnerabilities and blind spots of certain strands of Western liberalism.
"[A] lucid overview . . . as disturbing as it is fascinating. No small part of Müller's achievement rests upon his masterful summary of Schmitt's hermetic, highly stylized, continually fluctuating view of politics. . . . [A] fine study. . . . A Dangerous Mind is an important contribution to the history of political theory with special relevance for understanding the development of German social and political thought from 1956 to the present. It is is required reading for anyone interested in these themes."—Allan Janik, Central European Studies
"Deft and impressive, condensing broad bodies of work into elegantly written nuggets of intellectual history. . . . [Müller's] book's extraordinary range and depth make it an authoritative guide for a broader historical exploration."—Benjamin G. Martin, German Studies Review
"[An] exemplary piece of intellectual history. It traces the continued presence of Schmitt's thought in the European discussion after 1945. For English readers, Muller's book also gives an exciting account of some of the most central intellectual fields and debates that have marked political culture in Germany from the 1960s to the 1980s, and as such it is much more than simply a reception history of Schmitt's ideas."—Christian J. Emden, H-Net Reviews
"Jan-Wener Müller's book on Carl Schmitt is perhaps one of the best books written about this controversial political thinker and constitutional jurist. . . . Müller's account is even handed, and to a great degree covers a lot of ground that will be useful to scholars interested in Schmitt, critiques of liberalism, the connection of the anti-liberal impulse and critiques of globalism, and the like."—Clifford Angell Bates, Jr., Political Studies Review
Publication Date: October 21, 2003