Non-fiction

Women Philosophers in the Long Nineteenth Century

Are there women in nineteenth-century philosophy? By all means! This anthology presents the works of nine women philosophers in the tradition from romanticism to phenomenology. The collection demonstrates their central place within movements such as German Idealism, socialism, Marxism, and philosophy of experience. It presents excerpts from central works by Germaine de Staël, Karoline von Günderrode, Bettina Brentano von Arnim, Hedwig Dohm, Clara Zetkin, Lou Andreas Salomé, Rosa Luxemburg, Edith Stein, and Gerda Walther. In a clear and engaging style, these philosophers address questions such as: What is truth? What is a human self? How should the human self relate to non-human nature? How should it relate to itself? How can we best think about gender and identity? What are the conditions for community? Across the contributions, we encounter a wish to philosophize beyond the boundaries of academia, narrowly construed. The editors’ introduction offers a clear overview of women’s place and position in nineteenth-century philosophy and presents each of the nine philosophers with an eye to their historical importance as well as contemporary relevance. These are the philosophers we meet in this volume: Germaine de StaëlKaroline von GünderrodeBettina Brentano von ArnimHedwig DohmClara ZetkinLou SaloméRosa LuxemburgEdith SteinGerda Walther Published in the UK by Oxford University Press. The book is translated into Norwegian as part of the Thorleif Dahl Cultural Library. Brightly Shining WomenWho would have believed that an anthology on dead female philosophers would be one of last year’s best non-fiction publications?AFTENPOSTEN Kristin Gjesdal and Dalia Nassar have written much about women philosophers. Read their essay 'A rescue mission on behalf of women philosophers' here.