Description
Book SynopsisInterprets the Bible as a text concerned with the political reality of conceiving and nurturing a nation. Highlights the emphasis that the Bible places on women's contribution to what it takes to make a nation.
Trade Review“Mira Morgenstern is a deep reader of biblical texts, and her readings give us a new and provocatively modern understanding of Israelite nationhood—constructed, as it were, from the margins, by dreamers, strangers, and women, among others. This is an illuminating and exciting book.”
—Michael Walzer,Institute for Advanced Study
“Political theorists and biblical scholars have shown an increased interest recently in the political character of the Hebrew Bible. Mira Morgenstern’s Conceiving a Nation is a noteworthy addition to the burgeoning academic literature on the subject. Morgenstern focuses on six examples—Joseph, Moses, three figures from the period of the judges (Ruth, Jotham, and Samson), and Esther. She uses these examples to argue that the political discourse of the Hebrew Bible is characterized by the persistent theme of strangeness/difference, which not only distinguishes the biblical text from more traditional works for political theory, but also makes it especially relevant to our own time. Morgenstern’s book is influenced by and, in turn, will influence discussion in the fields of political theory and biblical studies as well as feminist and literary studies.”
—Gary Remer,Tulane University
“[This] book is a significant contribution to the political theory of ancient Israel. . . . Using a literary approach for reading biblical narratives, Morgenstern masterfully presents many political implications in the Hebrew scriptures with interpretations that are original and insightful.”
—A. J. Waskey Choice
Table of ContentsContents
Preface
Introduction
1 Joseph: The Politics of Dreaming
2 Moses: The Politics of Alienation
3 Ruth: The Politics of Difference
4 Jotham: The Politics of Parable
5 Samson: The Politics of Riddling
6 Esther: The Politics of Metaphor
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
