The Politics of Compassion

This book provides a critical overview of the role of the emotions in politics. Compassion is a politically charged virtue, and yet we know surprisingly little about the uses (and abuses) of compassion in political environments.

Covering sociology, political theory and psychology, and with contributions from Martha Nussbaum and Andrew Linklater amongst others, the book gives a succinct overview of the main theories of political compassion and the emotions in politics. It covers key concepts such as humanitarianism, political emotion and agency in relation to compassion as a political virtue.

The Politics of Compassion is a fascinating resource for students and scholars of political theory, international relations, political sociology and psychology.

Michael Ure is a Lecturer in Politics at Monash University, Australia.

Mervyn Frost is Professor of International Relations, and Head of the Department of War Studies, King’s College London, UK.