Alan Wolfe teaches political science at Boston College, where he is the director of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life. A contributing editor of The New Republic whose work appears frequently in leading magazines and newspapers, he is the author or editor of more than twenty books, including The Future of Liberalism. He lives in Brookline, Massachusetts.
“Intelligent and often brave . . . Audacious . . . Important . . .
Whatever you label Wolfe’s argument in Political Evil, it is
timely, valuable and refreshingly adult.” —Jonathan Rauch, The
New York Times Book Review
“In Political Evil, Alan Wolfe issues a compelling summons to moral
and intellectual seriousness and conducts a multi-pronged and . . .
soberly argued inquiry into the contemporary forms of political
evil and the proper means for combating them.” —Peter
Berkowitz, The Wall Street Journal
“[Wolfe’s] sentiments . . . seem both admirable and
true.” —Michael Ignatieff, Slate
“Ambitious and important.” —Charles R. Morris, Commonweal
“This book has many virtues. Wolfe has done us a service in
reminding us that human beings should be sensitive to their own
fallibility, and to the dangers of a hubristic mustering of
overwhelming force . . . Political Evil represents the reflections
of an intelligent, humane and learned scholar who has many
important things to say to policy makers in a world that is
dangerous and sadly in need of tempering voices.” —Robert
Swan, Washington Independent Review of Books
“A revelatory work: full of terrific analysis, and, a word I
hesitate to use, wisdom. So many illuminations about so many murky
matters. Really wonderful.” —C.K. Williams, winner of the 2000
Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
“In this impassioned and thought-provoking journey through the
varied landscape of political evil, Alan Wolfe draws subtle and
often heartbreaking distinctions examining what can—and cannot—be
done to combat the most vile organized horrors that human beings
have always inflicted upon one another. This is a necessary but
disturbing book, because it is all about the heart of darkness that
is so much more comfortable to ignore—and our own limitations even
when we try to do the right thing.” —Susan Jacoby, author of The
Age of American Unreason
“In the face of mass violence, terrorism, and genocide around the
globe, democratic citizens risk inaction and also excessive
reaction. Are there alternatives to letting evil continue and
producing more violence and inevitable victimization of innocents?
Alan Wolfe's clear-eyed analysis offers vital tools to advance
effective responses. He calls for joining unblinking condemnation
of large-scale horrors with precise attention to their particular
roots. His warnings against sweeping generalizations and faulty
analogies to the past are grounded in detailed studies of mass
violence in Darfur, the US ‘war against terror,’ and other current
events. For serious alternatives to overreaction and inaction in
the face of political evil, read Alan Wolfe.” —Martha Minow,
author of Between Vengeance and Forgiveness
“Despite the persistence of evil, Wolfe is hopeful that we can stop
evil acts, and despite his clear appeal to reason, his arguments
are quite passionate.” —Booklist
“A balanced inquiry into the violent world confronting America
today.” —Publishers Weekly
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