On Tolerance

Outwardly, we live in an era that appears more open-minded, non-judgemental and tolerant than in any time in human history. The very term intolerant invokes moral condemnation. We are constantly reminded to understand the importance of respecting different cultures and diversities. In this pugnacious new book, Frank Furedi argues that despite the democratisation of public life and the expansion of freedom, society is dominated by a culture that not only tolerates but often encourages intolerance. Often the intolerance is directed at people who refuse to accept the conventional wisdom and who are stigmatised as 'deniers'. Frequently intolerance comes into its own in clashes over cultural values and lifestyles. People are condemned for the food they eat, how they parent and for wearing religious symbols in public. This book challenges the 'quiet mood of tolerance' towards morally stigmatised forms of behaviors. The author examines recent forms of 'unacceptable behaviour'. It will tease out the real motives and drivers of intolerance.

ISBN 1441120106   Pages 224 ISBN13 9781441120106 (What's this?)   Weight (grammes) 408 Publisher Continuum Publishing Corporation   Published in New York Imprint Continuum Publishing Corporation   Height (mm) 216 Format Hardback   Width (mm) 138 Publication date 04 Aug 2011   Spine width (mm) 28 DEWEY 179.9   Academic level General DEWEY edition DC22

Introduction - You can't say that; 1. The Discovery of Tolerance; 2. Why Tolerance should not be confused with the refusal to judge; 3. The Re-emergence of intolerance in an age of moral disorientation; 4. The end of ideology and the rise of life style wars; 5. The stigmatisiation of scepticism; 6. The moral devaluation of free speech; 7. Heresy - old and new; 8. Why we need liberalism without the ifs and buts.

'Frank Furedi is one of our great public intellectuals.Boldly going where others fear to tread, he seizes upon key contemporary themes and challenges lazy thinking. On Tolerance is a glorious affront to the banal usage of the term and a revitalisation of what being tolerant really means. He presents tolerance to us as a precious resource in need of constant intellectual renewal. A great book for our times.'--,

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