'The twentieth century opened and closed with two towering figures in German political thought: Max Weber and Jurgen Habermas. Hannah Arendt, hersef a towering figure, stands between them. Phillip Hansen's fresh and searching intrduction to her political thought explains why.' John Keane, University of Westminster 'Hansen situates himself in the field of tension between Arendt and the Left and generates an exceedingly interesting discussion of the prospects and pit falls facing everyone aiming at a rejuvenated emancipatory politics at a time when it is anything but clear what sucha study of politics could possibly consist of ... a judicious and suggestive study'. Paul Breines, Boston College