The Cambridge Companion to Montesquieu

by Keegan Francis Callanan (Editor), Sharon Ruth Krause (Editor)

Overview

Montesquieu was among the most influential writers of the eighteenth century, and the study of his thought enriches and complicates our understanding of the Enlightenment. Following renewed interest in his writings over the last three decades, the Cambridge Companion to Montesquieu brings together the variety of disciplinary and interpretive approaches that have shaped the scholarship on his work and legacy. This Companion offers an integrated volume on Montesquieu as philosopher, novelist, historian, economic thinker, political scientist, and political theorist. It introduces readers to key themes and ongoing debates, reflects developments in the field, breaks fresh ground, indicates avenues for future research, and provides multiple perspectives on the relevance of Montesquieu's thought to contemporary problems in political theory.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781108745925
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	03/02/2023
Series:	Cambridge Companions to Philosophy
Pages:	300
Product dimensions:	5.94(w) x 8.98(h) x 0.91(d)

About the Author

Keegan Callanan is Associate Professor of Political Science at Middlebury College and Visiting Fellow with the James Madison Program at Princeton University. He is author of Montesquieu's Liberalism and the Problem of Universal Politics (Cambridge, 2018) and a member of the National Council on the Humanities.

Sharon Krause is the William R. Kenan, Jr. University Professor of Political Science at Brown University. She is the author of numerous articles on Montesquieu and other topics in political theory, as well as several books, including Liberalism with Honor (Harvard 2002), Civil Passions (Princeton 2008), and Freedom Beyond Sovereignty (Chicago 2015).

Table of Contents

1. Montesquieu: life and letters by Paul A. Rahe; 2. Persian letters by Catherine Volpilhac-Auger; 3. Considerations on the Romans by Thomas L. Pangle; 4. On the spirit of the laws by Keegan Callanan; 5. Montesquieu and the classical world by Catherine Larrère; 6. Montesquieu's guiding principles and foundations by Cecil Courtney; 7. Virtue in Montesqueiu by David W. Carrithers; 8. Internationalism, cosmopolitanism, and empires by Michael Mosher; 9. Liberty in Montesquieu by Céline Spector; 10. Political sovereignty in Montesquieu by Sharon R. Krause; 11. Montesquieu on slavery by Vickie B. Sullivan; 12. Montesquieu on the liberty of women by Diana J. Schaub; 13. Political economy by Paul Cheney; 14. Religion and politics by Annelien de Dijn; 15. Constitutional history by Jacob T. Levy; 16. Montesquieu and the enlightenment by Jonathan Israel; 17. Montesquieu's liberal legacies by Rebecca E. Kingston; Bibliography.

Editorial Reviews

‘Interest in Montesquieu's nuanced liberalism has surged in recent years across a number of disciplines, and this is now the best and most comprehensive volume on his philosophy. Drawing on a stellar group of scholars and covering the full range of Montesquieu's corpus, it will be an essential starting point for future study and scholarship.' Dennis Rasmussen, Syracuse University

‘Citizens of a troubled republic are in need of this superb collection of essays by leading authorities on Montesquieu. We need their guidance when casting a skeptical eye on pieties from altars or elites. We need Montesquieu's cold irony, his historical imagination when faced with hypocrisies that he was uniquely able to unmask.' Margaret C. Jacob, Distinguished Professor of Historical Research, UCLA

‘With incisive contributions from eminent scholars, this expertly edited volume illuminates a tremendous array of the most fundamental concepts and themes across Montesquieu's diverse texts. An essential collection for all those interested in Enlightenment thought and its contemporary legacies.' Sankar Muthu, University of Chicago

‘An invaluable collection.  Surveying the major themes of the Montesquieu’s thought - from liberty and virtue to religion and economics - this welcome volume provides a comprehensive introduction to Montesquieu’s ideas, as well as a series of crucially-important interventions in contemporary debates over Montesquieu’s legacy and his significance for us today.  Readers of Montesquieu will long be in debt to this volume’s eminent editors and contributors.’ Ryan Patrick Hanley, Boston College

From the Publisher