Research Catalog

Title

Why societies need dissent / Cass R. Sunstein.

Author

Sunstein, Cass R.

Publication

Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, 2003.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Description

ix, 246 p.; 22 cm.

Summary

"In this book, Cass R. Sunstein shows that organizations and nations are far more likely to prosper if they welcome dissent and promote openness. Attacking "political correctness" in all forms, Sunstein demonstrates that corporations, legislatures, even presidents are likely to blunder if they do not cultivate a culture of candor and disclosure. He shows that unjustified extremism, including violence and terrorism, often results from failure to tolerate dissenting views. The tragedy is that blunders and cruelties could be avoided if people spoke out."--Jacket.

Uniform Title

Oliver Wendell Holmes lectures 2003.

Subject

• Conformity
• Dissenters
• Social Conformity

Note

• "This book grows out of the Oliver Wendell Holmes Lectures at Harvard Law School, delivered on February 10 and 11, 2003"--P. vi.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 215-239) and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Introduction: conformity and dissent -- Doing what others do -- Obeying (and disobeying) the law -- Traveling in herds -- What will the neighbors think? -- Free speech -- Law of group polarization -- Framers' greatest contribution -- Are judges conformists too? -- Affirmative action in higher education -- Conclusion: why dissent?

ISBN

0674012682 (alk. paper)

LCCN

^^2003050860

OCLC

52208744

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library