Comparative political theory and Gandhi: A systematic review

Abstract

Comparative political theory epitomizes the use of the comparative method in political theory, by calling for the inclusion of non-western traditions of political thought in (re)thinking political theory. Based on the premise that political theory so far has been Eurocentric with a focus on the Western political canon, it seeks to foster inclusivity and relativity in theorizing politics, thereby leading to a dialectical development of theory itself. In this cognate subdiscipline, Mahatma Gandhi's moral and political thought has become a central component.This systematic review of the Comparative Political Theory-Gandhi relationship has two main aims. Firstly, it critically summarizes the methodological and epistemological insights that Gandhi provides in the pursuit of the comparative in Comparative Political Theory. Secondly, it encapsulates the insights that Gandhi provides for rethinking some core concepts in modern political theory: democracy, liberalism, nationalism, secularism, and the post-colonial. It concludes by identifying directions of further research at the Gandhi-Comparative Political Theory interface; all the while reiterating that Gandhi's philosophy of truth provides a doctrinal justification of the pursuit of the comparative method in political theory and consequently, the sustenance of comparative political theory as a subdiscipline.