Contemporary Political Theory Research Articles

A Singular Enlightenment: C. L. R. James, Anti-Colonialism, and Transatlantic Political Thought

This article formulates an original account of the Enlightenment through an interpretation of C. L. R. James’s The Black Jacobins, a landmark work of transatlantic anti-colonial thought. It defends a dialectical account of the Enlightenment as a singular transatlantic historical process whose content and critical import changes across space and time. In The Black Jacobins, James shows the Enlightenment’s revolutionary and emancipatory political legacy by staging the dialectic of the Enlightenment in a colonial situation defined by a slave-plantation economy. James illustrates the Enlightenment’s political legacy as a “concrete universal” that has particular and singular aspects, each with its own unique contours. In doing so, the article considers other themes at the center of both historical and contemporary political theory such as how to best conceptualize colonialism; the traveling and misplacement of Enlightened ideas; and the critical importance of the dialectical legacy and critical theory in these efforts.

Sovereignty across generations: The problem of divisive pluralism dismissed

The Rawlsian conception of constituent power in Alessandro Ferrara’s Sovereignty Across Generations is burdened by a deep contradiction that renders the central argument in the book highly questionable. On the one hand, Rawls is (correctly in my view) presented as the thinker that confronted contemporary political theory with the problem of divisive pluralism. On the other hand, Rawls is also presented (incorrectly in my view) as the thinker who then suddenly found a solution for this divisive pluralism in the ‘common values’ that all the members of these divisively pluralist societies share ‘unproblematically’. The combination of these two moves leaves one with the sense that Rawls rather frivolously put up the problem of divisive pluralism like a strawman that he could shoot down again without much ado. This article proposes a different reading of Rawls that considers him a serious thinker who did not amuse himself and his readers with strawman-problems. For this reading of Rawls, guidance is drawn from Hans Kelsen, the very thinker whom Sovereignty Across Generations casually dismisses for failing to grasp or appreciate the ‘common values’ that pluralist societies share so ‘unproblematically’.

Confucian Familialism and the Crisis of Care

Abstract This paper critically examines Confucian proposals for social welfare espoused by contemporary Confucian moral and political theorists, who promote a familialist, residual welfare state in which welfare provision should be the family's primary responsibility and public assistance be a last resort only available to the poor without family support. By investigating the situation in South Korea, a country whose welfare system bears a striking resemblance to the Confucian ideal, I argue that the Confucian scheme is inherently flawed. It considers poverty to be a personal failure, idealizes the family as a single unity of common interest free from power hierarchies, and lacks knowledge about social reproduction. Their proposal in actuality humiliates and excludes disadvantaged and marginalized people from social protection, abdicates the state's responsibility for the well-being of citizens, and colludes with capitalism in free riding on women's unpaid labor.

La transformación de la persona: fantasía o imaginación.

Several thinkers from different philosophical currents have pointed out that transhumanism is one of the most dangerous contemporary ideologies. After analyzing why a philosopher must pass a warning regarding this way of thinking and living, I offer some critical aspects against this interpretation of human transformation –the main promise of transhumanism–. I identify the philosophical roots of transhumanism above all in authors such as Nietzsche, Descartes, Freud and Marx. This philosophical tradition invoked by transhumanism proposes a certain interpretation of the imaginative faculty. It is there where this transformation into a cyborg fundamentally resides, whose absurd consequences I explain in the existential, scientific and socio-political sphere. I argue that the imaginative act of becoming a cyborg is morally, epistemologically and spiritually opposed to the act of authentic imagination. I offer a critique of this fantasy and argue that transhumanism is overcome through a total conversion of the imagination.

Access to green and gray urban nature amenities: exploring equity in Montreal's built environment

ABSTRACT Contemporary ideologies have identified two main paradigms contributing to sustainable cities: green urban and gray urban nature. The first refers to features that make cities greener, such as parks or tree coverage. The second refers to gray but sustainable areas, such as dense areas or the proximity to key amenities that can foster active travel. Accessibility to green and gray urban nature amenities by active transport is essential for evaluating if cities are sustainable. We analyzed the accessibility to green (green spaces) and gray (food stores and pharmacies) urban nature in Montreal. The findings show that most people have sufficient access to green and gray urban nature, and low-income groups have better access than high-income groups. Areas with access to both tend to be highly dense, suggesting that dense areas have sustainable attributes. Transport planning interventions in areas lacking access are necessary to achieve sustainable goals in Montreal.

When Sport Fandom Meets Motherhood: A Qualitative Exploration of Women’s Experiences

Existing literature provides nascent insights into structural arrangements that shape mothers’ experiences of being a sport fan, yet we know little about the social meaning sport fandom holds for mothers. This exploratory study draws on qualitative interviews with 41 mothers from Australia and North America to examine their understandings of sport fandom in the context of their everyday lives and contemporary ideologies about mothering. Findings suggest that sport fandom presents an opportunity for mothers to redefine and transform both fan and mothering practices, thereby challenging popular orthodoxies that fandom becomes less important to women after having children. By foregrounding mothers’ efforts to stay engaged with their fandom, we extend research on the experiences of women sport fans and offer alternatives to normative constructs of fandom.

LIBERTY AS NON-DOMINATION: THE CONTRIBUTION OF PHILIP PETTIT AND THE DEBATE WITH HIS CRITICS

This paper explores Philip Pettit's concept of liberty as non-domination, a significant contribution to contemporary political theory emphasizing freedom from arbitrary power rather than merely the absence of interference. In an increasingly plural and complex world, there is a pressing need for a broader understanding of liberty that addresses the political adversities faced by diverse societies. Pettit’s theory provides a robust framework for assessing political freedom by proposing that true liberty entails the absence of domination, supported by democratic mechanisms that disperse and make power accountable. The primary objective of this text is to analyze Pettit’s complete works alongside contributions from ten prominent commentators and debaters, examining the strengths and potential shortcomings of his theory. The analysis aims to demonstrate how Pettit’s concept of non-domination can be superior to other notions of liberty or how integrating different perspectives might reinforce his ideas. Methodologically, the paper conducts a thorough examination of Pettit's seminal works. It includes critical analysis from scholars like Quentin Skinner, Richard Dagger, and Cécile Laborde. Each author's agreement or disagreement with Pettit is analyzed in detail, providing a comprehensive view of the ongoing discourse. In conclusion, Pettit's concept of liberty as non-domination proves to be a compelling framework for understanding and advancing political freedom. This approach necessitates transparency, accountability, and participation within democratic institutions, ensuring liberty is safeguarded against both existing and potential forms of arbitrary power. Through this detailed examination, the paper underscores the relevance and applicability of Pettit's ideas in addressing contemporary political challenges.

Civil Disobedience or Not – The Case of Road Blockades in Serbia

The aim of this paper is to answer the question whether the road blockades that took place in Serbia in November and December of 2021 could be characterized as an act of justified civil disobedience. The answer comes from the analysis of the arguably most influental and well-known conception of civil disobedience that can be found in contemporary political theory – the conception that was proposed by the American political philosopher John Rawls. I will argue in support of the thesis that the blockades were an act of justified civil disobedience because they fit the definition of civil disobedience and meet all the conditions for a justified act of civil disobedience that Rawls presented us with.

The Dialectic Education of Philosopher King in the Republic

In Plato's Republic, dialectic is a crucial component of the education of the philosopher king. This essay discusses and analyses the nature of dialectical education and its importance in the development of the philosopher king. The essay is divided into three parts, focusing on defining dialectical education, explaining why it is the final stage of a philosopher's training, and discussing its necessity in preparing the philosopher king to be an effective ruler. Through dialectic, the philosopher king learns to think critically, question assumptions, and arrive at true knowledge. This essay argues that dialectical education is essential to the development of the philosopher king's wisdom and insight, which are necessary qualities for just and effective rulership. This research sheds light on the importance of dialectical education in the development of wise and just rulers and highlights the enduring relevance of Plato's ideas for contemporary society and political theory.

Breaking the Mold: Normative Hybridity as the Key to Contemporary “Non-Western” Political Theorizing

What normative compass can appropriately ground a theory for contemporary “non-Western” societies? This question has become urgent amid the pressure to decolonize political science and academia. The hybridity of numerous contemporary non-Western societies means that political theorists cannot refuse to engage with either Western-originated or premodern Indigenous concepts and ways of thinking that bear on the local public culture. However, these normative strands alone are unsuitable for grounding a contemporary theory. This methodological dilemma can be overcome if theorists adopt normative hybridity as a methodological stance. Normative hybridity suggests that hybridity is not only a feature of the theorist’s context of reference but should also be their modus operandi. Normative hybridity already underpins relevant works in contemporary Confucian political theory. Drawing from these works, I illustrate three methods to apply normative hybridity to theory building. This novel methodological approach uniquely addresses current political theory discussions and influences non-Western policymaking.

Well-Being, Harmony, and Deference: Toward a Confucian Case for Empowered Mini-Publics

Nearly all debates within contemporary Confucian political theory regarding the full or partial adoption of democracy have understood democracy as electoral representative democracy. Almost no attention has then been paid to how Confucian democracy or Confucian meritocracy would relate to randomly selected deliberative bodies increasingly considered by democratic theorists amid an ongoing reconceptualization of democracy. In this article, I explore such a relationship by presenting a Confucian case for empowered mini-publics. My central claim is that the adoption of this institution can be interpreted in Confucian terms and embraced by Confucian democrats as well as Confucian meritocrats, on the basis of several key Confucian values which they have already employed in defending their respective political proposals. By making this claim, I also demonstrate that one of central institutional innovations originally proposed to alleviate ills facing Western liberal democracies has a broader application and appeal than it has been assumed.

Introduction to the Symposium Conspiracism and Democracy: New Perspectives and Challenges

This Introduction outlines the rationale for the symposium by providing an overview of the main information pathologies that are increasingly affecting liberal democratic polities, including misinformation, disinformation, fake news, rumours, and conspiracism. It then zooms in on Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum’s (2019) book A Lot of People Are Saying: The New Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy, from which this symposium takes inspiration and outlines its key argument. Finally, the Introduction provides a brief summary of the articles in the symposium, explaining their contribution to debates on conspiracism and on other key areas of research in contemporary political theory and political science.

Female rage, the politics of care, and ambivalence of liberal democracy in Bratya Basu's Creusa – The Queen

Bratya Basu's play, ‘Creusa – The Queen’ is an adaptation of Euripides’ Ion that centers Creusa and her experience. Basu's adaptation critiques not only the relationship between humans and gods like in Euripides’ original, but also the entanglement of religious and secular law, and the idea of the rational individual subject. By centering Creusa and her lived experience, Basu articulates an ambivalence towards traditional liberal democracy based on its reliance on the image of a rational individual subject that serves the image of the law rather than using the law to facilitate, develop, and reflect relations, experiences, and communities of care that make up the body politic. Through its use of suspense and focus on Creusa, the play challenges binaries still found in contemporary political theory such as emotional/rational, domestic/public, care/justice, female/male. In this essay we outline the erasure of women as liberal subjects, the affective turn in politics, and the role of Creusa's experience in the play in challenging the rational traditional subject as a model for an effective political subject. Ultimately, it is Creusa's certainty about and acceptance of the divine and secular orders that allow liberal democracy to survive, thus grounding the power of the project in Creusa's affective response.

Political representation, the environment, and Edmund Burke: A re-reading of the Western canon through the lens of multispecies justice

A major puzzle in contemporary political theory is how to extend notions of justice to the environment. With environmental entities unable to communicate in ways that are traditionally recognised within the political sphere, their interests have largely been recognised instrumentally: only important as they contribute to human interests. In response to the multispecies justice project's call to reimagine our concepts of justice to include other-than-human beings and entities, we offer a novel reading of Edmund Burke's account of political representation that, we argue, can be applied to the environment. Burke claimed that interests are ‘unattached’ to any actual class or group, and that it is the duty of the representative to represent these unattached interests. Beyond providing an original application of Burke's work, the paper offers an alternative to the ‘allure’ of authoritarian environmentalism, an alternative which conservative thinkers may use as an entryway into debates on environmental justice.

Empirical Political Theory: A Template for a Research Design and a Qualified Defense

Developments in contemporary analytic political theory have called for political theory to situate itself near political science, to pay attention to political institutions, to follow the research output of the social sciences, and to present sensitivity to method. This empirical and methodological turn has brought about a debate regarding the form and desirability of such empirically grounded political theory. We aim, first, to clarify what the empirical turn in political theory implies for research in political theory. We shall situate such empirically grounded political theory in contemporary analytic political theory, in contemporary analytic political theory’s descriptive and prescriptive steps, and also examine how this turn complements contemporary analytic political theory’s evaluative step. Second, to suggest a defense of this empirical development, as if properly understood, it would assist empirically grounded contemporary analytic political theory to achieve its own stated goals. Third, to provide a template for a research design in empirical contemporary analytic political theory.

“Something Was Going to Change”

The subject of the article is a critical presentation of aspects of the Democratic Transition period (Metapolitefsi) in Greece through interviews and e-mails exchanged by subscribers to the mailing list of the magazine Disability Now, collected from April to July 2000. At the heart of these dialogues lies the discourse about the lifting of accessibility barriers for disabled people in Greece during the 1990s. Through the use of contemporary political theories on populism, the author explains that the discourse on accessibility barriers becomes “a place of political opportunity.” The participants develop a kind of populist discourse inspired by the ideology of the political theory of Modernization, as well as by the possibilities and disadvantages of Greece within the politico- economic framework of the EU. These elements imbue the meaning of the disabled self with a dual content: They connect and unite disabled individuals by producing the expression of an emancipatory discourse which, however and at the same time, is maintained through traces of an ablenationalistic rhetoric, activated by notions of Greekness and Europeanness.

The Value Implication and Practical Approach of Red Culture in Contemporary Ideological and Political Education in Universities

The Value Implication and Practical Approach of Red Culture in Contemporary Ideological and Political Education in Universities

Fazilet Eksenli Bir Siyaset Teorisi Mümkün mü?

This article calls for a possibility of virtue ethical theory of politics in contemporary political theory by locating its key sources in normative virtue ethics. First, it evaluates the growing literature on politics and virtue ethics and evaluates their promises. The following sections briefly account for two versions of virtue ethics and two key concepts, character traits and justice, to draw a framework for developing a theory of virtue politics. The last section discusses the mod- ern nation-state as the most critical setback in articulating a virtue-based political act.

MULTICULTURALISM IN CYBERSPACE

Language is an essential part of identity, and in many ways it is considered to be the fundamental constituent of identity. Language and culture are inextricably linked. Every social group with distinct linguistic and social characteristics seeks to preserve its cultural identity. Contemporary political theorists have labeled this phenomenon of the coexistence of different cultures in the same geographical space as multiculturalism. Based on the descriptive, analytical, comparative and verbal-culturological methods, this article discusses the presence of various cultural and ethnic groups within a society. Multiculturalism in cyberspace mainly denotes the harmony and interaction of diverse cultures within online communities and platforms. The vanishing of cultures naturally has a negative impact on diversity. It is critical to create an environment where different cultural groups can sustain and flourish, thus making the overall gamma of linguistic colors richer and more colorful.

What toleration is not

ABSTRACT Following Andrew Jason Cohen, Lucia Rafanelli construes toleration to consist in not merely limiting one’s interference with others’ behaviour, but doing so because of a principled commitment to respecting others’ independent choices. I argue that this conflates toleration with distinctly liberal ideals such as freedom of conscience or autonomy. This conflation not only impoverishes our conceptual vocabulary by using ‘toleration’ to label concepts or phenomena for which there are already perfectly good words, it also renders non-liberal conceptions or theories of toleration nonsensical by definitional fiat. This in turn risks making the historical emergence of theories and practices of toleration on purely prudential grounds – namely, reasons of state – unintelligible. Even though this does not, I think, compromise Rafanelli’s substantive normative conclusions about interference, it does raise important questions about the proper relation between contemporary political theory and the history of political thought.