Morality and Society Series

Public and Private in Thought and Practice

by Jeff Weintraub and Krishan Kumar

Published 15 March 1997

These essays, by contributors from the fields ranging from social and political theory to historical sociology and cultural studies, seek to illuminate the significance of the public/private distinction for an increasingly wide range of debates. Commenting on controversies surrounding such issues as abortion rights, identity politics, and the requirements of democratization, many of these essays clarify crucial processes that have shaped the culture and institutions of modern societies.