Adopting a multidisciplinary approach to the distinction between public and private, this lucidly written book covers an interesting and eclectic mix of topics such as citizenship, Rorty, Arendt and marriage.

The public and private distinction is essential to our moral and political vocabularies as it continues to structure our social and legal practices. Public and Private provides a multidisciplinary perspective on this distinction which has been at the centre of controversial debate in recent years. The focus of the debate has been on delineating acceptable boundaries between public and private in economic, social and cultural spheres. What is the nature and scope of citizenship? What are the implications of new reproductive technologies? And what is the fate of state sovereignty in a globalised world economy? At first glance these questions may appear unrelated, yet they all raise underlying and serious concerns regarding the scope and proper boundaries between the public and the private. Public and Private will stimulate the current debate with its original approach and provide a valuable resource for all those interested in the role the public and private play in structuring our societies.

'The quality of the papers is as impressive as the list of contributors. But the volume's main strength is that it embraces the complexity and contestability of the relationship between public and private to link the multi-disciplinarity of the authors and diversity of their arguments ... the content and presentation of these arguments are both stimulating and ... accessible.' - Political Theory