Democracy and Ontology

Agonism between Political Liberalism, Foucault and Psychoanalysis
Erscheinungsjahr 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5099-3828-5
Verlag: Bloomsbury 3PL

Buch, Englisch, 228 Seiten, Paperback, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 354 g

This book investigates the relationship between liberal democracies and ontology, that is, philosophical claims about the constitution of agents and the social world. Many philosophers argue that ontology needs to be avoided in political and legal philosophy. In fact, political liberalism, a highly influential paradigm founded by the philosopher John Rawls, makes the avoidance of ontology a core ambition of its 'political, non-metaphysical' programme. In contrast to political liberalism, this book argues that attending to ontological disputes is essential to political and legal philosophy. Illuminating, criticising and developing ontological arguments does not only enhance our understanding of justice, but also highlights key features of democratic citizenship. The argument is built up by bringing together three traditions of thought that have so far not been confronted with one another: political liberalism, the work of Michel Foucault, and the psychoanalytic theories of Sigmund Freud and Donald Winnicott. The book also investigates more concrete implications of ontological disputes by drawing on several case studies: a Dutch political-legal debate about greeting rituals; an American conflict about the legalisation of religious freedom; and the struggles for resilience of two American social movement groups.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Rosenthal, Irena

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Sozialphilosophie, Politische Philosophie
• Rechtswissenschaften Recht, Rechtswissenschaft Allgemein Rechtsphilosophie, Rechtsethik
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Theorie, Politische Philosophie
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Ideologien Liberalismus, Libertarismus
• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Rechtsphilosophie, Rechtsethik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Introduction

I. Democracy

II. Ontology

III. Political Liberalism, Foucault and Psychoanalysis

IV. Research Questions

V. Overview of Chapters

2. Politicising Political Liberalism

I. Introduction

II. The Democratic Politicisation of Political Philosophy

III. A 'Freestanding' Justification of Justice

IV. Politicising Political Liberalism

V. Conclusion

3. The Stimulation of Enlightened Contest

I. Introduction

II. 'A Historical Ontology of Ourselves'

III. A Historical Ontology of Political Philosophy

IV. Foucault's Ethos of 'Stimulating Contest'

V. The Stimulation of Enlightened Contest

VI. Agonic Democracy

VII. Conclusion

4. Agonic Democracy and the Exercise of Rights

I. Introduction

II. The Governmentalised State

III. A Political Liberalist Approach to State-sanctioned Exclusions

IV. The Ontological Remnants in Tomasi's Social Theory

V. Politicising Tomasi's Concept of Legal Culture

VI. Conclusion

5. Transit: Renegotiating Political Liberalism and Agonic Democracy

6. Drained by a Democratic 'Burn-out': The Emotional Burdens of Agonic Democracy

I. Introduction

II. A Democratic 'Burn-out'

III. A Psychoanalytic Reading of Civic Loss

IV. Emotional Boundary-marking

V. Conclusion

7. Conclusion

I. Politicising the Political Liberalist Ontology

II. An Alternative Ontology of Democratic Politics

III. The Democratic Politicisation of Ontology

Über Autor(innen)

Rosenthal, Irena
Irena Rosenthal is Assistant Professor of Legal Theory at the University of Amsterdam.

Irena Rosenthal is Assistant Professor at PPLE College at the University of Amsterdam.