Soren Kierkegaard is often painted as the arch-individualist - someone who puts so much stress on the role of the single individual that he has nothing to say about social issues. This collection of essays not only refutes that caricature, it also reveals just how dynamic and challenging Kierkegaard's social thinking really is. Scholars from diverse disciplines show how Kierkegaard raises difficult questions about the nature of selfhood, the church, society, politics, love and justice - questions we cannot afford to ignore.

Avoiding any kind of uncritical hero-worship, the contributors wrestle with Kierkegaard's writings and the challenges they pose to contemporary politics and ethics - not least those inspired by `postmodern' thinking. And the book opens with an indispensable introductory essay which charts the history of Kierkegaard interpretation in this area. Kierkegaard: The Self in Society dispels the myths which still surround the enigmatic Dane, and sets the agenda for future debate.