Book Review: Visionary Pragmatism: Radical & Ecological Democracy in Neoliberal Times by Romand Coles

Abstract

Romand Coles Visionary Pragmatism: Radical & Ecological Democracy in Neoliberal Times, Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2016; 240 pp.: ISBN 0822360640, 19.99 [pounds sterling] Is it possible to think in an age of new praxeology? Romand Coles offers undeniable paths to praxeology through his book that transcends the binary oppositions of theory and praxis. It attempts to listen to the multiple understandings on environmental systems through complexity theory. It reflects on the global environmental theories as well as practices through the melange of contemporary theory and praxis. It attempts to unveil some of the nuances that exist between political theory, democracy and new forms of social movements. Broadly, it maps the assertions that seek to unravel the question of the anthropocene. It delves into novel, agrarian thoughts and alternative politics that emerged around the larger, global questions on food. One of the significant arguments of Coles' undeniable endeavour is that one need not fall into the trap of communitarian and essentialist politics while seeking alternative routes to agrarian and environmental reflections. Indigenous thinking that looks for a better future is discussed in this context to spell out the strength/weakness of resistance to dominant ideologies of environmentalism. Global theory becomes the last resort of Coles, to reach the labyrinth of praxis. For instance, Coles engages with Stuart Kauffman's theory of self-organization in order to expand and understand the radical environmental thinking in America. Receptive democracy is foregrounded as a way to undermine a dominant resonance machine and to reach at the intercorporeal resonance. Nondeterminist engagement with neuroscience perspectives is therefore one of the daunting theoretical moves in Coles' approach. What are the meaningful meanderings via which one can attain sensible ecological democracy? Is it possible to capture the resonance of radical receptive democracy, and if so, what are the theoretical grooves that are waiting for the politically sensitive world? The position adopted is near to current anarchist modulations. One of the vital Colean interventions here is his attempt to have a critical rereading of pedagogy and rethinking it in terms of alternative anti-status quo politics. It is important to understand the rightwing politics of education that thrives on the notion of efficiency and espouses the genuine political voices from the campus. Broadly, Coles raises a penetrating critique of the neoliberal doxas that lead to the corporatization of life forms. Drawing on the understanding of Cornel West, Coles invokes the idea of everyday democracy which is capable of accommodating the displacements of agentic energy. Current forms of power are analysed through the notions of resonance, mega-circulation and complex systems dynamics. Coles' open-ended praxeology thus oscillates between the academic and social movement worlds. Thus, it does not differentiate the experiential and intellectual divide and tries to forge an ecology of multiple, political voices. In doing so, it initiates the recovery of aforementioned centrifugal voices. This is the discourse of the anti-globalization movements that have enriched global theory and practices. However, a return to the classical thinkers who argued for the succinct distinction of theory and praxis has been replaced by scholars as well as activists across the globe. The importance of Coles' intervention lies in its broad approach to analysing metanarratives, as well as sceptical voices raised in a holistic manner, rather than detaching these from those theoretical and practice-based conflicts. …