26 march 2014 - orillia

a new article by michael stevenson appears in the most recent issue of russell: the journal of bertrand russell studies. “’in solitude i brood on war’: bertrand russell’s 1939 american lecture tour” analyzes russell’s evolving attitude about pacifism in the face of the growing nazi threat and provides an annotated transcription of letters russell wrote during his three week speaking tour of the united states in april 1939.  

russell’s correspondence at this time, most of which has never been seen before because of a recently-ended embargo on the letters to his wife patricia, reveals that he experienced increasing doubts about the absolute pacifism he had embraced after the 1936 publication of which way to peace?, his influential pacifist manifesto.  these doubts initially expressed in the aftermath of the collapse of the munich agreement eventually caused him to publicly renounce pacifism in may 1940 and fully support the allied cause against hitler.

published by mcmaster university's bertrand russell research centre, russell is devoted to the study of all aspects of bertrand russell's thought as well as his life, times and influence. in addition to original peer-reviewed research and reviews of new books, russell publishes new texts and textual studies, discussions, bibliographies, indexes, and archival lists.

to find out more, click here or go to http://digitalcommons.mcmaster.ca/russelljournal/vol33/iss2/2/