The Hegel Studies (Volume 57) offers a comprehensive examination of Hegel’s philosophical perspectives on law, violence, and freedom, showcasing their relevance to contemporary legal and ethical questions. Edited by Christoph Menke and Benno Zabel, the volume includes contributions from Jean-François Kervégan, Ana María Miranda Mora, and Christian Schmidt. These scholars delve into how Hegel’s work on authority, power, and coercion continues to shape and challenge our understanding of societal order.
In the section dedicated to Law and Violence in Hegel, Jean-François Kervégan provides an analysis of the relationship between law and violence in Hegel’s thought, discussing how law, while often emerging from violence, also functions as a necessary mechanism for restraining it. He explores law’s role in guiding human action from the chaotic realm of fate toward an organized, legalistic framework. Expanding on these ideas, Ana María Miranda Mora examines the normative foundations of law’s authority and coercive power, reflecting on Hegel’s critiques of legality and legitimacy and his views on justice and retributivism. In a related discussion, Christian Schmidt investigates the universalism in Hegel’s philosophy, examining the logical underpinnings of free will and the internal tensions within Hegelian universal freedom when it encounters coercive social forces.
Other essays in this volume broaden the discussion by engaging Hegelian concepts in conversation with modern scientific and mathematical inquiries. Thomas Kelkel explores Hegel’s idea of “true infinity” within the context of spacetime, proposing that Hegelian logic offers unique insights into contemporary questions in cosmology. In another essay, Achim Wamßler examines Hegel’s approach to mathematics, particularly the dialectical relationship between arithmetic and geometry, and investigates how Hegel reconciles numerical abstraction with spatial philosophy.
This volume also includes a section titled Texts and Documents, where Klaus Vieweg, Christian Illies, Francesca Iannelli, and Marko J. Fuchs discuss newly discovered transcripts of Hegel’s lectures by his student F. W. Carové. These documents offer fresh insights into Hegel’s teachings on freedom and provide valuable context for understanding his philosophical approach.
In addition to the philosophical essays, the book features an extensive review section covering recent scholarship in classical German philosophy, including new editions, literature on Hegel, and studies focused on individual authors within the classical German philosophical tradition. A comprehensive bibliography on Hegel research rounds out the volume, making Hegel Studies (Volume 57) a significant resource for scholars interested in Hegelian philosophy, especially concerning its implications for law, ethics, and the dynamics of freedom.
The Hegel Studies were established in 1961 in conjunction with the Hegel Commission of the German Research Foundation and were developed in close connection with the work on the historical-critical complete edition Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Collected Works. Since 1999, the Hegel Studies have been published as an annual volume by Felix Meiner Verlag along with the “Supplementary” series.
Simon Gros 
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