The Revolutionary Self
Social Change and the Emergence of the Modern Individual 1770-1800
An illuminating exploration of the tensions between self and society in the age of revolutions. Since the eighteenth century, one of the defining concerns of modern life has been the tension between the self and society: we believe in a person’s autonomy, but we also acknowledge that people are shaped by social and cultural forces. The Revolutionary Self delves into this paradox, turning to the eighteenth century as an era when new ideas about the self, society, and equality gained traction and new ways of living emerged. Lynn Hunt, the eminent historian of the French Revolution, traces the rise of individualism and how it transformed attitudes. In this thoughtful and surprising history, she examines women’s expanding societal roles, such as using tea…
Lynn Hunt is distinguished research professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. The author of numerous works, including Inventing Human Rights and Writing History in the Global Era, and a former president of the American Historical Association, she lives in Los Angeles.
The Revolutionary Self
Lynn Hunt
Writing History in the Global Era
Lynn Hunt
Inventing Human Rights
Lynn Hunt