Democratic Responsibility

"I expect students of democratic theory and of American political thought to be very interested in Nora Hanagan's work; I have every reason to believe that her discussions of each of the historical figures she evaluates will become recognized as significant contributions to the secondary literature. All students of democratic theory should be stimulated by her political theory and its relationship to a moral theory of responsibility." -Bob Pepperman Taylor, University of Vermont

-- Bob Pepperman Taylor, University of Vermont

"While 'responsibility' is a hot topic in the field, I do not know of anyone else who has explored it in terms of the tradition of American political thought. This book is well written, and Hanagan's argument for the particularity (and import) of a specifically democratic form of responsibility (as opposed to collective or individual), that is itself integral to democratic governance, is novel, as well as interesting and productive." -Lida Maxwell, Boston University

"Democratic Responsibility: The Politics of Many Hands in America is a powerful and persuasive analysis of 'the many hands problem,' the tremendous theoretical and practical difficulty of holding individuals accountable for harms produced by the cumulative effect of the interactions of many persons and institutions-harms such as climate change, global sweatshop labor, and group oppression. Hanagan depicts how four strikingly original thinkers and activists from the nineteenth century to today-H. D. Thoreau, Jane Addams, M. L. King, Jr. and Audre Lorde-grappled with the problem of many hands. She illuminates the historical contexts that shaped their ideas, the continuities and differences among them, and their relevance for our time. Hanagan's analysis of discursive and cultural practices that sustain privilege, and how cooperative and collective action can combat oppression and inequality, could not be more timely. This clearly argued and superbly written book is a 'must read' for intellectual historians, political theorists, and activists alike." -Mary Shanley, Professor of Political Science on the Margaret Stiles Halleck Chair, Vassar College