‘A passion for justice’

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Vernon
Keyword(s):  
Civil War ◽  
Political Action ◽  
Martin Luther ◽  
Subjective Character ◽  
Subjective Satisfaction ◽  
Historical Progress ◽  
State Of Affairs ◽  
Martin Luther King

In this article, I explicate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s account of emancipatory history and activism by examining the influence of G. W. F. Hegel’s account of world-historical individuals on his thought. Both thinkers, I argue, affirm that history’s spiritual destiny works through individuals who are driven by the contingencies of their subjective character and given situation to undertake particular actions, and yet who nevertheless freely and decisively break the new from the old by forsaking subjective satisfaction to spur events forward to a more rational state of affairs. This synthetic unity of abstract freedom and concrete embodiment reflects the ‘civil war’ between the universal and infinite essence, and particular and finite passions, that King and Hegel identify as equally constitutive of human will. Through an examination of King’s account of Rosa Parks’ pivotal arrest, I develop the consequences of this ‘Hegelian’ view for our understanding of political action and historical progress.

scholarly journals Martin Luther King Jr. on Democratic Propaganda, Shame, and Moral Transformation

2021 ◽  
pp. 009059172110217
Author(s):  
Meena Krishnamurthy
Keyword(s):  
Civil Rights ◽  
Civil Rights Movement ◽  
Political Action ◽  
Martin Luther ◽  
Black Politics ◽  
Central Problem ◽  
The Political ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Moral Transformation ◽  
Martin Luther King

This essay develops an account of Martin Luther King Jr.’s justification for and use of what I will call “democratic propaganda”—truthful propaganda that is aimed at promoting and fostering democratic political action by stirring readers’ emotions. I interpret King’s famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in the broader context of his work and argue that it is a piece of democratic propaganda. I give an account of what led King to support the use of democratic propaganda and why he hoped it would help to overcome a central problem in the civil rights movement: the political inaction of the white moderates. King emphasizes shame in the Letter, and I argue that this concept offers us a new way of thinking about the efficacy of democratic propaganda. I close by considering the relevance of King’s approach for today’s Black Lives Matter movement. Despite the innovativeness of King’s use of shame, I suggest it may be time for a new approach to Black politics and activism.

While we dialogue, others die

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek Alderman ◽  
Joshua FJ Inwood
Keyword(s):  
Political Action ◽  
Martin Luther ◽  
Life And Death ◽  
Oppressed People ◽  
The Face ◽  
Martin Luther King

We revisit Martin Luther King Jr’s famous Letter from a Birmingham Jail (2013 [1963]), using his words to frame our thinking about the promise, limits, and efficacy of dialogue. The life and death politics of everyday oppressed people should directly inform any consideration of the merits of scholars engaging in (or disengaging from) dialogue, what they ultimately say, and with whom they engage in dialogue and political action. The stakes are too high—for the academy, broader society, and especially for those groups who bear the direct burden of injustice—not to engage in scholarly dialogue and debate. It is also important for scholars to communicate in resonant ways and enhance the value of their academic dialogue to oppressed groups. The most significant threat to scholarly dialogue is not necessarily from extremists; rather, the challenge lies in creating consequential dialogue with those who remain silent and indifferent in the face of what King called ‘the deep groans and passionate yearnings of the oppressed’.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document