The Making of a Political Theorist

Abstract

Shklar’s first encounter with Rousseau was through the readings that accompanied the seminars and lectures that her favorite teacher Fredrick Watkins offered at McGill. Fascinated by the French philosopher, she wrote her MA dissertation about him. Later, in her own lectures and seminars at Harvard, particularly while teaching the French Enlightenment, she would repeatedly come back to Rousseau. Having gathered substantial material over a number of years and having also published various articles and reviews on the subject, it became evident that a book was in the making.