Cultural politics and identity

This anthology explores the significance and role of empathy in the public sphere. It examines its capacity to foster trans-cultural solidarity and motivate political action in our ever increasingly multicultural political environment. On a more practical level the authors investigate if empathy can be taught or cultivated. And, if so, are literature and other forms of cultural representations the most effective and promising methods. The contributions analyze the potentials and the limitations of empathy within the political sphere from an interdisciplinary and intercultural perspective.