Robert Lucien Wokler (6 December 1942 – 30 July 2006) was a British historian who was a leading scholar of the political thought of the Enlightenment.
Biographyedit
He was born in Auch, France, to Isaac and Ilona Wochiler, both war refugees; the family was allowed entry to Switzerland several months later because he was an infant.[1] They would later move to Paris and San Francisco during his childhood.
Wokler found an interest in political thought after meeting political philosopher Leo Strauss.[2] He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago in 1964, his master's from the London School of Economics in 1966, and DPhil from Nuffield College, Oxford, in 1968. John Plamenatz and Isaiah Berlin, both refugees themselves, served as his supervisors at Oxford and were significant influences. Wokler wrote his doctoral thesis on the thought of philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a topic that would be a focus for much of his career.[1]The Guardian writes: "He saw in the Enlightenment a profound response to experiences of religiously-inspired violence all too similar to the events of his own time; he believed that the Enlightenment's calls for toleration and personal freedom, and its opposition to sectarianism and fanaticism, remained urgently needed."[2]
Beginning in 1971, he taught at the University of Manchester, becoming a reader in 1994. He held fellowships at Trinity and Sidney Sussex colleges at the University of Cambridge. Wokler later became a senior lecturer at Yale University, retiring in 1998.[1]
A number of works from his collection on Rousseau and Diderot are held by the University of Cambridge.[4]
Wokler's works include Man and society: political and social theories from Machiavelli to Marx (1992), Rousseau: a very short introduction (1995), Rousseau and Liberty (1998), Studies on Voltaire and the eighteenth century (1998), The Enlightenment: the nation-state and the primal patricide of modernity (1998), and Rousseau, the Age of Enlightenment, and Their Legacies (2012), a collection of essays.
Referencesedit
^ abc"Robert Wokler, scholar of Enlightenment and Rousseau". Yale Bulletin & Calendar. 35 (1). 1 September 2006.
^ abCherniss, Joshua (23 August 2006). "Robert Wokler: Scholar steeped in the political thought of the Enlightenment". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
^"Leigh Collection". Cambridge University Library. 15 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
Sourcesedit
Goldie, Mark; Hampsher-Monk, Iain (Winter 2006). "In Memoriam: Robert Wokler's Enlightenment Project". History of Political Thought. 27 (4): 737–742. JSTOR 26222117 – via JSTOR.
"Robert Wokler: Eloquent and highly regarded scholar of Rousseau and the Enlightenment". The Times. 3 August 2006. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
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robert, wokler, robert, lucien, wokler, december, 1942, july, 2006, british, historian, leading, scholar, political, thought, enlightenment, biography, edithe, born, auch, france, isaac, ilona, wochiler, both, refugees, family, allowed, entry, switzerland, sev. Robert Lucien Wokler 6 December 1942 30 July 2006 was a British historian who was a leading scholar of the political thought of the Enlightenment Biography editHe was born in Auch France to Isaac and Ilona Wochiler both war refugees the family was allowed entry to Switzerland several months later because he was an infant 1 They would later move to Paris and San Francisco during his childhood Wokler found an interest in political thought after meeting political philosopher Leo Strauss 2 He received his bachelor s degree from the University of Chicago in 1964 his master s from the London School of Economics in 1966 and DPhil from Nuffield College Oxford in 1968 John Plamenatz and Isaiah Berlin both refugees themselves served as his supervisors at Oxford and were significant influences Wokler wrote his doctoral thesis on the thought of philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau a topic that would be a focus for much of his career 1 The Guardian writes He saw in the Enlightenment a profound response to experiences of religiously inspired violence all too similar to the events of his own time he believed that the Enlightenment s calls for toleration and personal freedom and its opposition to sectarianism and fanaticism remained urgently needed 2 Beginning in 1971 he taught at the University of Manchester becoming a reader in 1994 He held fellowships at Trinity and Sidney Sussex colleges at the University of Cambridge Wokler later became a senior lecturer at Yale University retiring in 1998 1 He died of cancer in Cambridge in 2006 3 A number of works from his collection on Rousseau and Diderot are held by the University of Cambridge 4 Wokler s works include Man and society political and social theories from Machiavelli to Marx 1992 Rousseau a very short introduction 1995 Rousseau and Liberty 1998 Studies on Voltaire and the eighteenth century 1998 The Enlightenment the nation state and the primal patricide of modernity 1998 and Rousseau the Age of Enlightenment and Their Legacies 2012 a collection of essays References edit a b c Robert Wokler scholar of Enlightenment and Rousseau Yale Bulletin amp Calendar 35 1 1 September 2006 a b Cherniss Joshua 23 August 2006 Robert Wokler Scholar steeped in the political thought of the Enlightenment The Guardian Retrieved 6 July 2023 University obituaries The University of Chicago Magazine Retrieved 6 July 2023 Leigh Collection Cambridge University Library 15 July 2018 Retrieved 6 July 2023 Sources edit Goldie Mark Hampsher Monk Iain Winter 2006 In Memoriam Robert Wokler s Enlightenment Project History of Political Thought 27 4 737 742 JSTOR 26222117 via JSTOR Robert Wokler Eloquent and highly regarded scholar of Rousseau and the Enlightenment The Times 3 August 2006 Retrieved 6 July 2023 nbsp This article about a British historian or genealogist is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Wokler amp oldid 1193346485, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
