Beyond Individualism
The Challenge of Inclusive Communities
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- $34.99
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- $34.99
Publisher Description
In many places around the world, relations between ethnic and religious groups that for long periods coexisted more or less amicably are now fraught with aggression and violence. This trend has profound international implications, threatening efforts to narrow the gap between rich and poor. Underscoring the need for sustained action, George Rupp urges the secular West to reckon with the continuing power of religious conviction and embrace the full extent of the world's diversity.
While individualism is a powerful force in Western cultures and a cornerstone of Western foreign policy, it elicits strong resistance in traditional communities. Drawing on decades of research and experience, Rupp pushes modern individualism beyond its foundational beliefs to recognize the place of communal practice in our world. Affirming the value of communities and the productive role religion plays in many lives, he advocates new solutions to such global challenges as conflicts in the developing world, income inequality, climate change, and mass migration.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Activist and educator Rupp (Globalization Challenged) argues that Western individualism must reaffirm the pivotal role of community. Modifying and repurposing content from past speaking engagements, he draws on his experience as dean of Harvard Divinity School and president of Rice University, Columbia University, and the International Rescue Committee to explore the ways in which individualism perpetuates a system skewed toward private interests over public goods. He contends that without a focus on communities we will maintain policies that favor the privileged few and exacerbate wealth disparity, armed conflict, and the earth's destruction. While Rupp's definition of community is expansive, he focuses largely on religious groups, asserting that secularism cannot continue to ignore the way religious beliefs influence public policies. He also explores the relationship between religion and the humanities, urging educational institutions to provide opportunities to study religion, in part because it plays a crucial role in engagement with non-Western traditions. Ultimately, Rupp argues that when we shift our focus from valuing individualism to elevatomg inclusive communities, we can conceptualize new possibilities for global issues. "A hybrid of memoir and systematic reflections," Rupp offers an accessible and well-reasoned contribution to debates on the role of religion and community.
