Give to WPI

2001-2002

Prof. Roger S. Gottlieb Authors Fourth Book

Joining Hands: Politics and Religion Together for Social Change is released

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/July 3, 2002
Contact: WPI Media Relations, 508-831-5616

WORCESTER, Mass. - July 3, 2002 - Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) philosophy Professor Roger S. Gottlieb has written his fourth book: Joining Hands: Politics and Religion Together for Social Change. The book presents a new account of how religious ethics and progressive movements share a common vision of a transformed world, and offers the affirmation that authentic religion requires an activist, transforming presence in the political world, and that the moral and psychological insights of religion are indispensable resources in political struggles for democracy, human rights and ecological sanity. The book is published by Westview Press.

Prof. Gottlieb poses several questions throughout his writings: Did Martin Luther King's spiritual understanding of political struggle truly help the Civil Rights movement? Can breast cancer victims incorporate both spiritual wisdom and political action in their fight for life? How have visionary spirituality and hard-headed political organizing fused in the environmental movement? With compelling interpretations of King and the civil rights struggle, feminism, disability rights, the global environmental movement and the fight for breast cancer, Joining Hands alters the way spiritual seekers, political activists and society as a whole think about the political role of religion and the spiritual component of politics.

"I chose to write this book because progressive politics and the most authentic part of religious ethics share a common vocation in remaking the world," said Gottlieb. "At the same time, they need to learn from each others insights and wisdom to fulfill that task."

Roger S. Gottlieb is a professor of philosophy in the department of humanities and arts at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Gottlieb's writings have appeared in top academic journals such as the Journal of Philosophy, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, and Ethics; and in popular publications such as The Boston Globe and Orion Afield. Widely respected for his unique range of interests, combination of personal and political passion, clarity of writing, and originality, he is one of few American intellectuals to be reviewed in publications as disparate as New Age Journal, , Ethics, Common Boundary, and The Boston Globe. His earlier work has won praise from international figures like Elie Wiesel and Michael Lerner, and noted scholars of religion (John Cobb, Harvey Cox), environmental ethics (Holmes Rolston), and politics (Barbara Ehrenreich). He lives in Boston.

About WPI

WPI is a pioneer in technological higher education, and is recognized as one of the leading outcomes-oriented undergraduate programs preparing people for success in our technological world. Since its founding in 1865, WPI has broadened and perfected an influential curriculum that balances theory and practice.

This innovative and unique combination of educational methods, learning environment and a worldwide network of project centers is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Its main campus is located in Worcester, Massachusetts. WPI supports the academic and research pursuits of over 2,800 undergraduate students, 1,200 graduate students and 220 faculty pursuing opportunities to blend technological research and practice with societal needs, delivering meaningful real-world benefits.

For over a century, WPI has awarded advanced degrees in the sciences and engineering disciplines, as well as the management of technology and business. Our alumni include Robert Goddard, the father of modern rocketry; Harold Black, inventor of the principle of negative-feedback; Carl Clark, inventor of the first practical airbag safety system; Dean Kamen, inventor of the first wearable drug infusion pump; and many others who contribute to the transformation of our technological world.