The Radical Humanism of Erich Fromm

The Radical Humanism of Erich Fromm
Author: K. Durkin
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 369
Release: 2014-09-04
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1137428430

This book, shortlisted for the British Sociological Association's Philip Abrams Memorial Prize (2015), argues that Fromm is a vital and largely overlooked contribution to twentieth-century intellectual history, and one who offers a refreshingly reconfigured form of humanism that is capable of reintegrating explicitly humanist analytical categories and schemas back into social theoretical (and scientific) considerations.

Erich Fromm's Critical Theory

Erich Fromm's Critical Theory
Author: Kieran Durkin
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 249
Release: 2020-04-16
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1350087009

Interest in Fromm is increasing: as a prominent Marxist, sociologist, psychoanalytic theorist, and public intellectual, the unique normative-humanist thrust of his writings provides a crucial critical reference point for those seeking to understand and transcend the societal pathologies of our age. The essays in this volume retrieve, revive, and expand upon Fromm's central insights and contributions. They offer a critical theory of culture, the self, psychology and society that goes beyond what is typical of the narrower concerns of the fragmented and isolated disciplines of today, demonstrating the pan-disciplinary potential of Fromm's work. But this book does not simply reassert Fromm's ideas and rehash his theories, but rather reconstructs them to bring them into meaningful dialogue with contemporary ideas and cultural, political and economic developments. Providing new approaches to Fromm's ideas and work brings them up-to-date with contemporary problems and debates in theory and society and helps us understand the challenges of our times.

How to Stop Fascism

How to Stop Fascism
Author: Paul Mason
Publisher: Penguin UK
Total Pages: 211
Release: 2021-08-26
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0141996412

'For its historical depth, analytical vigour and mobilizational potential, this book is unparalleled ... every page is an urgent invitation to resist' David Lammy MP The bestselling author of PostCapitalism offers a guide to resisting the far right The far right is on the rise across the world. From Modi's India to Bolsonaro's Brazil and Erdogan's Turkey, fascism is not a horror that we have left in the past; it is a recurring nightmare that is happening again - and we need to find a better way to fight it. In How to Stop Fascism, Paul Mason offers a radical, hopeful blueprint for resisting and defeating the new far right. The book is both a chilling portrait of contemporary fascism, and a compelling history of the fascist phenomenon: its psychological roots, political theories and genocidal logic. Fascism, Mason powerfully argues, is a symptom of capitalist failure, and it has haunted us throughout the twentieth century. History shows us the conditions that breed fascism, and how it can be successfully overcome. But it is up to us in the present to challenge it, and time is running out. From the ashes of COVID-19, we have an opportunity to create a fairer, more equal society. To do so, we must ask ourselves: what kind of world do we want to live in? And what are we going to do about it?

You Shall Be as Gods

You Shall Be as Gods
Author: Erich Fromm
Publisher: Open Road Media
Total Pages: 299
Release: 2013-02-26
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1480401927

From the social philosopher and New York Times–bestselling author of The Sane Society: An analysis of the Old Testament as a revolutionary humanist work. The Old Testament is one of the most carefully studied books in the world’s history. It is also one of the most misunderstood. This founding text of the world’s three largest religions is also, Erich Fromm argues, an impressive radical humanist text. He sees the stories of mankind’s transition from divided clans to united brotherhood as a tribute to the human power to overcome. Filled with hopeful symbolism, You Shall Be As Gods shows how the Old Testament and its tradition is an inspiring ode to human potential. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Erich Fromm including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s estate.

M.N. Roy

M.N. Roy
Author: M. N. Roy
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Total Pages: 216
Release: 2010-10-04
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1615928456

When humanism was first receiving widespread public attention in the West, through such publications as The Humanist Manifesto in 1933, unbeknownst to most Westerners humanism was proceeding on a parallel track in India, largely due to the efforts of philosopher and political activist M.N. Roy (1887-1954). Sadly, it wasn''t until the early fifties, at the end of Roy''s life that European humanists began to notice his work.To rectify the unfortunate neglect in the West of one of India''s premier intellectuals, philosopher Innaiah Narisetti has compiled this new collection of Roy''s most significant works. Roy conceived of humanism as a scientific, integral, and radically new worldview. Among many interesting selections in this volume, Roy''s "Principles of Radical Democracy: 22 Theses" is especially representative of his thinking. Here he emphasized ethics and eschewed supernatural interpretations as antithetical to his scientifically oriented conception of "new humanism." He also underscored the importance of universal education to make average people scientifically literate and to teach them critical thinking.Roy was not only a thinker but a doer as well. He spent six years in an Indian prison during the 1930s for opposing the British rule of India.For humanists, philosophers, political scientists, and others, M.N. Roy''s unique and still very relevant view of humanism will have great appeal and broad application beyond its original Indian context.

The Revolution of Hope

The Revolution of Hope
Author: Erich Fromm
Publisher: Open Road Media
Total Pages: 283
Release: 2023-02-28
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 150408277X

The acclaimed social psychologist and New York Times–bestselling author examines how to maintain hope and humanity in an increasingly technological society. Life often contains events that do not have the outcomes we desire. However, many situations offer the possibility of a better outcome later. We simply need hope. But what is hope? What happens if we choose it? And what happens if we give it up? In The Revolution of Hope, Erich Fromm contemplates the definition of hope and what it means to be human. When the book was first published in 1968, Fromm saw society heading towards complete mechanization, devoted to maximal material output and consumption, directed by computers. With this book, he poses to the reader the choice between becoming a helpless cog in the machine or embracing humanism and hope. “An uplifting exploration of the definition of hope, what it truly means to be human, and steps that should be taken to promote humanization in an increasingly disconnected and technology-driven society.” —Midwest Book Review

The Lives of Erich Fromm

The Lives of Erich Fromm
Author: Lawrence J. Friedman
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Total Pages: 458
Release: 2014-11-04
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 0231162596

Erich Fromm was a political activist, psychologist, psychoanalyst, philosopher, and one of the most important intellectuals of the twentieth century. Known for his theories of personality and political insight, Fromm dissected the sadomasochistic appeal of brutal dictators while also eloquently championing loveÑwhich, he insisted, was nothing if it did not involve joyful contact with others and humanity at large. Admired all over the world, Fromm continues to inspire with his message of universal brotherhood and quest for lasting peace. The first systematic study of FrommÕs influences and achievements, this biography revisits the thinkerÕs most important works, especially Escape from Freedom and The Art of Loving, which conveyed important and complex ideas to millions of readers. The volume recounts FrommÕs political activism as a founder and major funder of Amnesty International, the National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy, and other peace groups. Consulting rare archival materials across the globe, Lawrence J. Friedman reveals FrommÕs support for anti-Stalinist democratic movements in Central and Eastern Europe and his efforts to revitalize American democracy. For the first time, readers learn about FrommÕs direct contact with high officials in the American government on matters of war and peace while accessing a deeper understanding of his conceptual differences with Freud, his rapport with Neo-Freudians like Karen Horney and Harry Stack Sullivan, and his association with innovative artists, public intellectuals, and world leaders. Friedman elucidates FrommÕs key intellectual contributions, especially his innovative concept of Òsocial character,Ó in which social institutions and practices shape the inner psyche, and he clarifies FrommÕs conception of love as an acquired skill. Taking full stock of the thinkerÕs historical and global accomplishments, Friedman portrays a man of immense authenticity and spirituality who made life in the twentieth century more humane than it might have been.

Erich Fromm’s Revolutionary Hope

Erich Fromm’s Revolutionary Hope
Author: Joan Braune
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 243
Release: 2014-11-26
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9462098123

“Socialism ... is essentially prophetic Messianism ...” So Erich Fromm writes in his 1961 classic Marx’s Concept of Man. World-renowned Critical Theorist, activist, psychoanalyst, and public Marxist intellectual, Erich Fromm (1900-1980) played a pivotal role in the early Frankfurt Institute for Social Research and influenced emancipatory projects in multiple disciplines. While he remains popularly well known as author of such best-selling books as Escape from Freedom and The Art of Loving, Fromm’s contribution to Critical Theory is now being rediscovered. Fromm’s work on messianism in the 1950s-1970s responded to earlier debates among early twentieth century German Jewish thinkers and radicals, including Hermann Cohen, Rosa Luxemburg, Martin Buber, Gershom Scholem, and Georg Lukács. The return to Fromm, as well as growing interest in Jewish messianism’s influence on the Frankfurt School, makes this book timely. Fromm’s bold defense of radical hope and trenchant critique of political catastrophism are more relevant than ever. “Joan Braune’s work on Erich Fromm is indispensable for students of Frankfurt School critical theory ... Braune reveals the central role that Fromm played in the early development of Frankfurt School critical theory. She also discloses the role that Fromm played in shaping some of the most important debates in critical theory. One of the most interesting issues that informed the debates among early critical theorists was messianism and its political implications. There is no better book on this issue. Those of us who are interested in the development of Frankfurt School critical theory owe Dr. Braune a great deal of gratitude.” – Arnold L. Farr, Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Kentucky, President, International Herbert Marcuse Society “Joan Braune's work on Fromm brings this important figure in critical theory back into the conversation at a needed time. It also appears at a time when we must recapture prophetic messianism – the hope in humanity for a better future.” Jeffery Nicholas, Providence College, author of Reason, Tradition, and the Good: MacIntyre’s Tradition-Constituted Reason and Frankfurt School Critical Theory

Erich Fromm and the Quest for Solidarity

Erich Fromm and the Quest for Solidarity
Author: Lawrence Wilde
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 195
Release: 2016-04-30
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1137075112

Erich Fromm and the Quest for Solidarity argues that Fromm's humanistic ethics provides a framework for the analysis of alienation in affluent societies and his exploration of the social forces capable of challenging that alienation. It examines his work on authoritarianism, the experience of work, the struggle against patriarchy, the dangers of consumerism and the manipulation of needs, the urgent need to revive democracy, and the challenge of the emerging 'one world'. Never losing sight of the ancient dream of human solidarity, Fromm's explicitly ethical approach exerts a compelling relevance to a range of issues in contemporary social and political theory.

The Legacy of Erich Fromm

The Legacy of Erich Fromm
Author: Daniel Burston
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Total Pages: 292
Release: 1991
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780674521681

This is the first full-scale intellectual biography in English of Erich Fromm, perhaps the most widely read psychoanalyst after Freud, whose contributions to clinical and social psychology and the history of the psychoanalytic movement have long been underrated. Though considered a pedant, a popularizer--Escape from Freedom, The Sane Society, and The Art of Loving, among others, were best-sellers -and an "outsider" in many psychoanalytic circles, Fromm played a historic role in the development of the discipline. As a member of Freud's "loyal opposition" with strong leanings toward the "dissident fringe;' he helped effect the transfer of productive ideas from the periphery to the mainstream of the psychoanalytic movement. Daniel Burston's meticulous elucidation of these ideas unravels the numerous strands--philosophical, literary, and social--that formed a part of Freud's own work and of Fromm's sympathetic, but not uncritical, reaction to Freudian orthodoxy. Despite his grounding in the tradition of Freud, contemporaries and former associates persistently misunderstood Fromm's work. Insofar as he attempted to decipher the ideological subtexts to Freudian theory, analytically oriented theorists doing clinical or social research avoided his ideas. His Marxist leanings and his radically historical approach to human behavior made it all but impossible for mainstream academic psychologists to grasp his meaning, much less to grant it any validity. At the same time, his humanistic and ethical concerns struck many psychologists as grossly unscientific. Practical and intellectual constraints have conspired to ensure that Fromm's impact has been peripheral at best. Burston's eloquent, evenhanded reassessment of Fromm's life and work cuts through the ideological and political underbrush to reveal his pivotal role as a theorist and a critic of modern psychoanalysis. It leads readers back to Freud, whose theoretical and clinical contributions Fromm refracted and extended, and on to controversies that remain a vital part of contemporary intellectual life.