Thucydidean turn : (re)interpreting Thucydides political thought before, during and after the great war / Benjamin Earley.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Earley, Benjamin, author.

Series:

Bloomsbury studies in classical reception

Classical Studies & Archaeology 2020

Bloomsbury Studies in Classical Reception

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Thucydides--Influence.

Thucydides.

Thucydides--Criticism and interpretation.

Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War.

Genre:

Electronic books.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (256 pages).

Edition:

First edition.

Distribution:

[London, England] : Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020

Place of Publication:

London [England] : Bloomsbury Academic, 2020.

System Details:

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Summary:

"The emergence of Thucydides as an influential political thinker in the first half of the twentieth century has been astonishingly neglected by modern scholars. This volume examines how, why, and when the Athenian historical came to occupy such a prominent position in political discourse in the US and Europe today. It argues that in the years before, during, and after the Great War Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War was mined for the insights that it could offer into contemporary politics, and that it was also used as part of the justification for the academic and cultural relevance of Classics at this time of great political upheaval. Academic classicists and classically trained commentators were instrumental in this 'turn' in academic focus onto Thucydides' contemporary relevance. Among the former were several prominent figures, such as Francis Cornford, Gilbert Murray, and Enoch Powell, who attempted to find in Thucydides a dark depiction of human nature and the passions that drove politics to justify his contemporary relevance. The latter included International Relations scholars and journalists such as Alfred Zimmern, Albert Toynbee, and George Abbott, who 'turned' to Thucydides in order to better understand contemporary global and European politics. A final chapter demonstrates how this British 'turn' to Thucydides was received and reinterpreted in America on the eve of the Second World War."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Preface

Acknowledgements

1. Introduction: Defining the Thucydidean turn

2. Thucydides between Science and Tragedy

3. Thucydides, Realism, and Political Psychology

4. Thucydides, Realism, and the Great War

5. Thucydides, Historical Change, and Contemporaneity

6. Learning to Tolerate Thucydides

7. Epilogue: American Thucydides(s)

Notes Bibliography

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Print version:

ISBN:

9781350123748

OCLC:

1170302545

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.