Outline of a Phenomenology of Right

The publication of this meticulously accurate translation, of the genuinely classic work of a towering figure of twentieth century political philosophy, marks a major event in the world of English-speaking scholarship-which will finally have to come to terms with the challenge of Kojeve's highly original and uncompromisingly rationalist left-Hegelian phenomenology of justice. -- Thomas Pangle, University of Toronto
I found the translation of Kojeve's Outline of a Phenomenology of Right quite impressive. The translators have remained remarkably faithful to the original, even maintaining much of Kojeve's sentence structure, punctuation, and literary idiosyncracies while conveying this difficult work in a surprisingly clear and accessible translation. The editor's notes are excellently done, clarifying allusions in the text, explaining obscure references and noting ambiguities in the French original. Bryan Paul Frost and Robert Howse have provided the kind of translation and editorial apparatus made possible both by a fine grasp of the French language and by a deep familiarity with Kojeve's philosophical work as well as the broader tradition of legal and political philosophy. -- Daniel Mahoney, Assumption College
Kojeve was one of the last century's most influential philosophers, yet one of the least known to the public. This work, unpublished by the author, displays the principles and features of the 'universal and homogeneous state'—a state never seen but often presupposed by politicians as well as thinkers. Every reader deeply interested in today's politics will want this book.... -- Harvey Mansfield, Professor of Government, Harvard University; Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution
Admirers of Alexandre Kojeve's influential Introduction to the Reading of Hegel will be especially grateful for the publication of this translation of his Outline of a Phenomenology of Right. It renders more concrete many of the tantalizing arguments of that earlier work and should also serve to enrich our impoverished contemporary debate over globalization. -- Nathan Tarcov, University of Chicago
This translation merits high praise for its scrupulous care and precision. It is sufficiently literal to give the reader the confidence that Kojeve's argument has been faithfully conveyed, but sufficiently well-polished in its English to be no less readable than the French. -- James Nichols * Claremont Review of Books *
Kojéve's work is always brilliant, and this particular work . . . expounds a very noteworthy position. . . . A highly original articulation of a unique and penetrating philosophical position. -- Donald J. Maletz,, University of Oklahoma
Kojeve was one of the last century's most influential philosophers, yet one of the least known to the public. This work, unpublished by the author, displays the principles and features of the 'universal and homogeneous state'—a state never seen but often presupposed by politicians as well as thinkers. Every reader deeply interested in today's politics will want this book. -- Harvey Mansfield, Professor of Government, Harvard University; Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution
Outline of a Phenomenology of Right is an impressive and exhaustive effort that seeks to clarify the meaning of droit. The book, by Alexandre Kojève, not only unpacks the term, but in the process layers droit with Hegelian and Marxist historiography such that the reader is offered a rich historical understanding of droit that is both challenging and thought provoking. Readers can take away from this book an appreciation for the interconnectedness of law, justice, morality, rights, and the role of the state and political institutions in giving meaning to these terms. -- David Schultz, Hamline University and Journal of Public Affairs Education * Journal of Law & Politics *