Governance in Dark Times: Practical Philosophy for Public Service

by Camilla Stivers

With the rush of calamitous events in recent years―the September 11 terror attacks, the Iraq imbroglio, and hurricanes Katrina and Rita―Americans feel themselves to be living in dark times. Trust in one another and in the government is at low ebb. People in public service face profound challenges to the meaning and efficacy of their work. Where can a public servant turn for a public philosophy to sustain practice?

Inspired by Hannah Arendt and several other philosophers, Governance in Dark Times is the first book to explore the philosophical and value underpinnings needed to guide public servants in these times. Featuring down-to-earth discussions of such issues as terrorism, torture, and homeland security, it suggests ways for people in government to think more deeply, judge more wisely, and act more meaningfully. Camilla Stivers argues that the most urgent requirement in dark times is re-kindling what Arendt called "the light of the public," and offers practical steps for public servants to create spaces for citizen dialogue and engagement in public life. Ideas like "governance of the common ground" and "public service as social hope" will spark discussion and encourage renewed dedication to the work of governing.

Grounded in the author's more than thirty years of teaching and administrative practice, Governance in Dark Times urges public servants in clear, jargon-free prose to reflect, to understand the world we live in, and to act responsibly, both individually and with fellow citizens.

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 6, 2008

Reviews

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Public administrators are facing "dark times" under the current administration. But, Stivers exhorts public servants to push back against the dominant atomistic view of human nature--grounded in Hobbesian and Cartesian philosophy--in favor of a more positive, socially-constructed notion of existence which flows from the ideas of Heidegger, Arendt, Foucault, and Mary Parker Follett. Doing so produces a kind of pragmatic approach to public service ethics that puts the emphasis on acting "from the ground up" and creates a bedrock of support for career bureaucrats to be able to act more in the public interest--in today's lexicon, this can help them resist undemocratic impulses from above.

[Krystle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprised and impressed at the use of philosophical concepts that are used to bridge the gap of the objective/subjective dichotomy and how these concepts can be utilized for practical use in public service. The episteme stemming from the Enlightenment period have led to a coercive and hegemonic government system. The western ideology of logic, reason and objectivity legitimizes it's actions on the grounds of "absolute truths," making it almost impossible to argue against those who hold power in authority. This book provides a pluralistic perspective that is taken from a diverse selection of philosophers and the shared experiences of citizens on a "common ground" to show another mode that can be applied in public service. This alternative mode uses a multiple lens approach to decision making in public service and does so without compromising the very values that define democracy, freedom and liberty. This is why history is so very important to know, because without it, people take for granted the everyday institutions that are in place in our society and many people don't question them because they assume that they have always existed. Different periods contain different ideologies and this shows that we, as a society, have the ability to change ours as well.

With that said, not completely finished but engaged and delighted nonetheless!