Professor Dalton explores the meaning of freedom and examines the progress of both personal and political freedom. These eight lectures are a guided tour along the byways of the philosophy of liberation, beginning with its ancient roots and ending in 20th-century America. Throughout these lectures, you'll follow the progress toward personal liberation and spiritual freedom found in the lives of those who were often consumed by fierce and difficult struggles for political freedom. And you'll see that the results achieved along the way are not separate mysteries but truths linked by the same path. But you'll also learn that the philosophy of freedom was never intrinsically American and has its roots in diverse ancient cultures. For example, you'll learn about the ancient Hindu philosophy of dual freedom as described in the Bhagavad Gita, the Greek philosopher Plato's study of freedom in the republic of Athens, and the major contributions Christian philosophy has made to the ideal of freedom. Traveling from the ancient world to the modern, you'll consider the lives and work of John Stuart Mill (the 19th-century philosopher who defined the meaning of freedom with extraordinary clarity), Mahatma Gandhi (the political leader who led the Indian subcontinent out of British domination), Martin Luther King, Jr. (who synthesized the teachings of Jesus and Gandhi to create a method of nonviolent resistance), and others.
Freedom: The Philosophy of Liberation
Explore the meaning of freedom—perhaps the most powerful idea to have inspired mankind throughout the ages.
01: Freedom in the Ancient World
The idea of freedom as expounded by ancient Indian philosophy (the concept of "swaraj"); Greek political theory in the writings of Thucydides and Plato's "Republic"; and early Christianity.
02: The Advent of Freedom in the Modern World
The distinctively modern meanings of freedom in the political theories of 17th-century philosopher John Locke and 18th-century French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
03: Hegel’s Philosophy of Freedom, God and the State
The idea of freedom expounded by the German philosopher G. W. F. Hegel and the 19th century and the theoretical relationship of this idea to his concepts of God and the State.
04: John Stuart Mill’s Philosophy of Freedom
An analysis of Mill's classic text, "On Liberty", showing its contrasts with Hegel, its similarities with Locke, and its defense of freedom of expression against the "tyranny of the majority."
05: Emma Goldman and the Anarchist Idea of Freedom
Here Professor Dennis Dalton contrasts Goldman's anarchism with the liberalism of Mill and the nationalism of Hegel.
06: Mahatma Gandhi—Personal and Political Freedom
Gandhi's concept of freedom examined in the context of his life and leadership of the Indian independence movement.
07: Malcolm X’s Quest for Liberation
An analysis of the life of Malcolm X. His file is compared with Gandhi's in terms of their similar attempts to cope with racist oppression, both moving through stages of personal development that influenced their ideas about freedom and humanity.
08: Martin Luther King, Jr.—Stride Toward Freedom
This lecture will examine King's emphasis on the idea of freedom as seen in his speeches and writings, in the context of the Montgomery bus boycott, and the connection between his theories of freedom and non-violence as compared with Gandhi.
About
Dr. Dennis Dalton is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Barnard College, Columbia University. He earned his B.A. from Rutgers University, his M.A. in Political Science from the University of Chicago, and his Ph.D. in Political Theory from the University of London.
Professor Dalton has edited and contributed to more than a dozen publications and has written numerous articles. He is the author of Indian Idea of Freedom and Mahatma Gandhi: Nonviolent Power in Action. His fields of interests include classical and modern, Western, and Asian political theory; politics of South Asia, particularly the Indian nationalist movement; nonviolence and violence in society; and ideologies of modern political movements in Europe, India, China, and Africa.
Dr. Dalton served as a review editor for the Journal of Developmental Studies (London) and as a U.S. correspondent for the South Asian Review (London). He is a member of both the American Political Science Association and the Association for Asian Studies.
Professor Dalton has been honored with numerous teaching awards, scholarships, and grants, including the Barnard College Margaret Mead Award 2009 for Distinguished Teaching, the 2008 Barnard Commendation for Excellence in Teaching, a grant from the American Council of Learned Societies, a senior fellowship with the American Institute of Indian Studies, and a Gandhi Peace Foundation Grant.
