Niklas Forsberg, Ulrika Björk (eds.): The Dissident. Six Readings of “The Power of the Powerless” by Václav Havel

Special Issue of The Philosophical Journal 1/2022

obalka dissident

This special issue is devoted to rereading and reassessing Václav Havel’s seminal essay “The Power of the Powerless”, in the light of the present day culture and ethico-political scene. The Chartist efforts to pursue a non-political politics, lead us to reflect upon power relations and pre-political textures, where existential, political and ethical concerns are allowed to come forth as intermingled, not only with each other but also with questions about language, symbolism and truth. The papers collected here are investigations into how these forms of interconnection and intertwining between ethics, existential concerns, authenticity, language, meaning and truth look.

Niklas Forsberg, Ulrika Björk: Editorial - Resounding the Powerless

Tomáš Hejduk: What Form of Existentialism is there in Havel’s Concept of Dissent?

Gustav Strandberg: From a “Life in the Idea” to a “Life in Truth”

Ondřej Krása: Two Concepts of a Lie: Václav Havel on Living in a Communist Regime

Niklas Forsberg: Among the Onions and Carrots

Antony Fredriksson: Václav Havel, Simone Weil and Our Desire for Totalitarianism

Ulrika Björk: The Dissident and the Spectre