Jurgen Habermas is the most renowned living German philosopher. This book aims to give a clear and readable overview of his philosophical work. It analyzes both the theoretical underpinnings of Habermas`s social theory, and its more concrete applications in the fields of ethics, politics, and law.

Finally, it examines how Habermas`s social and political theory informs his writing on real, current political and social problems. The author explores Habermas`s influence on a wide variety of fields--including philosophy, political and social theory, cultural studies, sociology, and literary studies. He uses a problem-based approach to explain how Habermas`s ideas can be applied to actual social and political situations.

The book also includes a glossary of technical terms to further acquaint the reader with Habermas`s philosophy. Unlike other writing on Habermas, this Introduction is accessibly written and explains his intellectual framework and technical vocabulary, rather than simply adopting it.