Reconstructing Public Reason

“[MacGilvray’s] thoughtful book, Reconstructing Public Reason, proposes a pragmatic modification of liberalism that hypothesizes making narrative accounts of proposed actions transparent, public, and prospective in order to test competing claims… While written for an audience of political theorists, Reconstructing Public Reason will appeal to scholars interested in deliberative democracy, pragmatism, and narrative reasoning.”—Damien Pfister, Rhetoric and Public Affairs

“Imaginatively conceived and skillfully executed, Reconstructing Public Reason will appeal to those anxious about the declining (or ascending!) influence of pragmatism and those anxious about the practical significance of theorizing about political justice generally and political liberalism specifically. No small accomplishment.”—Alfonso Damico, University of Iowa

“This is an intelligent book that addresses two important and fashionable themes in political theory—pragmatism and political liberalism. And it contributes to our understanding of both.”—Jeffrey Isaac, Indiana University