Pragmatism, Spirituality and Society

This book explores the dynamics of interaction between pragmatism and spirituality in the constitution and working of consciousness, freedom and solidarity. This book is cross-cultural and transdisciplinary in nature and brings critical and transformative perspectives from different philosophical and spiritual traditions of the world. It discusses the works of seminal thinkers such as William James, Rudolf Steiner, John Dewey, Swami Vivekananda, Martin Heidegger, Claude Levi-Strauss, Jordan Peterson, Slavos Zizek, Paul Valeri and O.V. Vijayan. It also explores dialogues between pragmatism and other philosophical and intellectual traditions such as Semiotics, Saiva Siddhanta, Vedanta, Trika Shaivism and Tantra. It explores themes such as pragmatism and belief, evolution of consciousness and happiness, spiritual pragmatism and economics of solidarity, value levels democracy, the perforamtive as an aspect of spirituality and transformation of political theology from Kingdom of God to Gardens of God.

Ananta Kumar Giri is a Professor at the Madras Institute of Development Studies, Chennai, India. He has taught and done research in many universities in India and abroad, including Aalborg University (Denmark), Maison des sciences de l’homme, Paris (France), the University of Kentucky (USA), University of Freiburg & Humboldt University (Germany), Jagiellonian University (Poland) and Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He has an abiding interest in social movements and cultural change, criticism, creativity and contemporary dialectics of transformation, theories of self, culture and society, and creative streams in education, philosophy and literature.  

“In the West, pragmatism tends to have the dismal reputation of beinghumdrum and tied to status quo politics. But this book is anything but humdrum. It injects into the topic a welcome, uplifting elan by showing its connection with idealism, spirituality and religious faith.I think Dewey would have been pleased.”

--Fred Dallmayr, Emeritus Faculty, University of Notre Dame, USA

 “One of the hardest things to do in the world today is to reach out to multiple communities and perspectives whose voices are disparate and seemingly irreconcilable. This book has taken us on this hard journey here with attention to the practical yet spiritual aspects of the search for freedom and solidarity.”

--David Blake Willis, Professor of anthropology and education, Fielding Graduate University, USA

 “This rich collection of essays reminds us that genuine spirituality bears cultural and social fruits. The book invites one to consider thought-provoking ways of articulating spiritual life with the common good in our world of confusion and conflicts.”

--Patrick Laude, Professor, Georgetown University, Doha, Qatar