Jean Bethke Elshtain

Former Professor at University of Chicago

From 1995-2013, Jean Bethke Elshtain (1941-2013) was the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor of Social and Political Ethics at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago.

Elshtain's books include Public Man, Private Woman: Women in Social and Political Thought; Meditations on Modern Political Thought; Women and War; Democracy on Trial (a New York Times' notable book for 1995); Real Politics: At the Center of Everyday Life; Augustine and the Limits of Politics; Who are We? Critical Reflections, Hopeful Possibilities (recipient of the Theologos Award for Best Academic Book 2000 by the Association of Theological Booksellers); Jane Addams and the Dream of American Democracy (honored by the Society of Midland Authors in 2002); Just War Against Terror: The Burden of American Power in a Violent World (named one of the best nonfiction books of 2003 by Publishers Weekly); and Sovereignty: God, State, and Self (her Gifford Lectures, published 2008).

Featured Work

JUN 1, 2006 Podcast

Just War?

The U.S. and other developed nations are moving into an era where preventive war is acceptable—even though to say so openly is still ...

JUN 1, 2006 Transcript

Just War?

The U.S. and other developed nations are moving into an era where preventive war is acceptable—even though to say so openly is still ...