Political Theory Research Articles

Before astropolitics: Ratzel, Schmitt, and the question of cosmic colonisation

Abstract This paper seeks to open an inquiry into the origins of astropolitics, an intellectual and popular imagination whose defining characteristic is the attempt to project geopolitical concepts and categories into outer space. I locate the roots of this vision not merely in Anglo-American maritime strategy but in the rather earthlier German tradition of geopolitics, more specifically in the work of the geographer Friedrich Ratzel and the political theorist Carl Schmitt. Surprisingly, however, my reverse chronology discovers that although the two men’s ideas reverberate through contemporary astropolitical discourses, they were both in fact, in different ways and for different reasons, hesitant about space colonisation. The paper makes sense of this finding and unpacks its implications for contemporary International Relations debates on off-earth politics.

Beyond Dual Power: Prefiguration and the Appropriation of Space

In the wake of ‘assembly movements’ such as Occupy Wall Street, the concept of ‘prefiguration’ has received increased attention in radical political theory. What remains undertheorised, however, is the manner and the extent to which prefiguration often implies a territorial claim as a way to secede from existing power relations and institutions. This article seeks to establish this relation between prefiguration and the appropriation of space. It first retraces the idea of prefiguration as a revolutionary strategy to the Paris Commune of 1871 and reconstructs how this experience led to a split within the international workers’ movement. It then continues to distinguish between prefiguration and ‘dual power’, which was introduced by Lenin, and argues that the latter does not bear the same territorial connotation. Finally, the paper turns to a contemporary example of prefigurative politics that is underpinned by a territorial claim – namely, the ZAD or zone à défendre in Notre-Dame-des-Landes.

Fichte's global material constitution

The article shows that Fichte's conception of human rights implies concrete guidelines for the economic organization of states and international relations. First, I elucidate Fichte's view on human rights at the domestic level. Fichte's complex theory of human rights consists in a meta-right to live in a state that secures at least two “original rights”: a right to bodily inviolability and a right to sufficient property. I focus on the latter. Due to Fichte's unorthodox view of property rights as rights to actions rather than objects, this amounts to a right to work. This right, according to Fichte, must be realized in a planned economy. Second, I focus on the global level. Fichte's right to sufficient (unorthodox) property has implications for three dimensions of global justice: cosmopolitan right, the right of nations and commercial relations. Third, I draw some insights from thinking through Fichte's global material constitution for long observed conceptual tensions regarding his political and legal philosophy, namely between freedom and security as well as cosmopolitanism and nationalism, and for current debates in politics and political theory.

Альтюссерианский подход к интерпретации политической теологии Жан-Жака Руссо

The article is devoted to the materialistic interpretation of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s political theology by Louis Althusser. This approach is particularly interesting because it treats materialism in a completely different plane from that of Marxism. Emphasizing the contingency of the emergence of the civil state, Althusser places Rousseau within the general tradition of modern materialism, the distinctive features of which are anti-theocentrism and anti-historicism. At the same time, Althusser emphasizes that Rousseau had a radically different view on the origins of human society from the ideas of other Enlightenment philosophers. This allowed Althusser to separate Rousseauism from the traditional political philosophy of the 18th century. For this reason, the parallel interpretation of Rousseau’s views in the sphere of political theology does not in any way contradict the materialist interpretation of his teachings. In this article, the author scrutinizes the history of different approaches to the understanding of matter and materiality, and compares alternative perspectives on Rousseau’s political theory. The article shows, that Althusser’s interpretation was openly deconstructivist, even though it was based on the subjects brought up by Rousseau himself. In the final part, the author also touches upon the concept of multiple temporality, which, being closely connected with materialism, has a pure Rousseau’s origin.

Examining Gender Diversity in Local Government Elections in Nepal: A Review

In Nepal, women's involvement in politics has historically been constrained by entrenched traditional gender roles. Despite these limitations, several remarkable women have managed to rise above these constraints and become influential leaders within their communities. These instances highlight that simply implementing laws is not enough to ensure women's participation; continuous monitoring is necessary to ensure the effective enforcement of these laws. This study employed a mixed research design, incorporating both liberal and representative political science theories, alongside a descriptive and analytical approach, which proved to be particularly effective under pragmatist philosophy. In 2017 local elections, women represented 40.95 percent of the elected officials. By 2022, this figure had seen a slight increase, with women comprising 41.21 percent of all elected representatives. This progress suggests that the 2022 elections offered a valuable opportunity to enhance women's representation in politics, building on the significant achievements of 2017. This progress not only benefits political parties but also supports social justice. Many women, particularly those who have served in local government over the past four years, are eager to advance their political careers. Increasing female representation in public life is an important step toward achieving gender equality. Despite the Election Commission's efforts to address concerns about women's electoral participation, their actions have been insufficient, and political parties have exploited existing loopholes.

“We Need to Live the World that is Possible”: Prefigurative Justice, Creative Collaboration, and the Activism of Rita Wong

Although many writers and scholars struggle to cross the threshold between literary expressive culture and activism, poet Rita Wong has fostered and bridged both collaborative artistic and direct-action social justice work. Wong’s collaborations with Dorothy Christian, Larissa Lai, Cindy Mochizuki, and Fred Wah illuminate the promise of creative practice in confronting racial capitalism and climate destruction. This essay draws from the social movement theory of prefigurative politics, routed through abolition feminism and Indigenous place-based epistemology, to account for ethical consistencies between Wong’s poetics, collaborative artistic practice, and direct-action interventions. Prefigurative politics conveys “the embodiment, within the ongoing political practice of a movement, of those forms of social relations, decision-making, culture, and human experience that are the ultimate goal” (Boggs, 1977, p. 100). Wong’s work focuses on “Reckoning” at the pivot point of climate destruction: she writes, “our common survival depends on our collective ability to address the environmental devastation that has accelerated in this century, a devastation that will not end unless we learn to live by values that manifest and respect Indigenous relationships to the land and waters” (Wong, 2012, p. 535). Her scholarship and collaborative poetic engagements have attended to “Repairing” with words, performance, bodily engagement, and crafting a paradigm shift in alliance with human and nonhuman others, thinking with and through water. And Wong “Reworlds” through experimental and imaginative building of new relations, telling new stories. In keeping with prefigurative social movement practice, she and her collaborators act as if that new world has already arrived.

Under the Background of New Media, Shenyang Red Resources Are Integrated into The Teaching and Research of Ideological and Political Theory Course for College Students

General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that "make good use of red resources, carry forward the red tradition, and pass on the red gene", which points out the direction for the integration of red resources into ideological and political teaching. The red cultural resources highly condensed the revolutionary history and the indomitable struggle history of the Communist Party of China. It highlights the heroic epic of the Communists staying true to the original aspiration and fulfilling the grand mission in the course of China's revolution, construction, reform and even the development of the new era, and has the precious significance of The Times. In recent years, the teaching research of red resources into ideological and political theory course mainly focuses on the regional red resources into ideological and political course teaching.

Food Consumption, Eco-civilization and Environmental Authoritarianism in China

Abstract In response to its severe environmental problems, China's government is pursuing a national goal to “build an ecological civilization.” One approach used to theorize about China's environmental governance is environmental authoritarianism (EA). Drawing on work in political steering theory and the governmentality tradition, this paper addresses the “soft” side of EA by analysing the eco-civilization discourse on food and eating in policy documents and consumer guidebooks. It argues that China's EA works not only through coercion but also through citizen responsibilization. The emerging discourse of eco-civilization outlines a cultural nationalist programme focused on virtue and vice, in which consumer behaviour is morally charged. Consumers are expected to cultivate themselves into models of ecological morality to fulfil their civic duty and support the state's goal of building an ecological civilization.

Not Just ‘Sinking Islands’: Climate Change and Adaptation in Small Island Developing States

Small Island Developing States are among the countries which are hit the most by climate change, and especially by sea-level rise. In this article, I argue against the narrative focused on plans for collective relocation for the populations of Small Island Developing States. I argue that focusing exclusively on relocation leads us to endorse a ‘doomsday’ approach, which normalises the inevitability of territory loss, and obscures theoretically distinct and pressing problems related to how to tackle the current environmental issues and resource scarcity affecting those countries. In the first part of the article, I argue that adaptation efforts, which are systematically neglected in the dominant political theory literature about Small Island Developing States, should be prioritised over plans for relocation. In the second part of the article, I start to cast light on some of the normative dilemmas raised by a close focus on adaptation, and I defend a community-based approach to adaptation in Small Island Developing States.

The Complexities of Establishing Transboundary Water Management Institutions in Post-Colonial Territories: A Study of Nile River TWMI Construction

Transboundary Water Management Institutions (TWMI) are traditionally seen as comprehensive solutions for addressing the distribution of transnational river water resources, among other alternative strategies. TWMI plays a crucial role in redirecting the potential for conflict in transnational rivers towards more constructive and cooperative outcomes. However, the establishment of TWMI is fraught with challenges, particularly due to the 'limited' nature of available water resources and geopolitical tensions among riparian states. This article argues that the obstacles to forming TWMI under certain conditions extend beyond geopolitical factors and resource limitations. In former colonial territories, the complexities hindering the creation of TWMI are further compounded by the enduring legacy of colonialism and the post-independence needs of these riparian nations. Using the Nile River as a case study and employing Comparative Political Theory (CPT) as a research method, this paper illustrates how colonial legacies in riparian states not only exacerbate but also perpetuate the challenges in establishing Transboundary Water Management Institutions. This article highlights the underexplored impact of colonial legacies on the discourse of multilateral institutional building and international relations among postcolonialism countries, which continue to shape the process of forming international organizations responsible for managing shared natural resources across countries.

Reconceptualising socioeconomic rights: a case for care ethics

ABSTRACT As the COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled, care is ubiquitous, critical for all aspects of daily life. However, equally visible is the deficit in care both within states and on the international level. Care, as both a practice and value, has advanced far beyond its conception within feminist theory and has since been employed in a range of disciplines within the social sciences and beyond. Of particular note is its ability to deepen understandings of power and contest inequalities through the exploration of relationalities. Nevertheless, the lens of care has yet to be sufficiently explored in the context of international human rights law. Meanwhile, concerns regarding human rights’ susceptibility to appropriation by neoliberal forces are growing in volume and severity. Drawing on the work of Joan Tronto, this article suggests an appreciation of rights as interconnected and interdependent as the key to creating communities of care which level socioeconomic disparities on the international level. Chiefly, it proposes a rights-based approach informed by Tronto’s political theory of care as a means of transforming socioeconomic rights into the counter-hegemonic tool required to more effectively challenge neoliberalism.

Obtaining Effective Political Agency through Informal Access: Using Volumnia from Shakespeare’s Coriolanus as a Model

Past studies have examined Shakespeare’s historical plays through the lenses of political theory in multiple ways, focusing primarily on formal access to policymaking — official, structured channels of influence. This paper hereby uses Volumnia from Shakespeare’s Coriolanus as a model to examine the attainment of effective political agency through the perspective of a politician with only informal access to policymaking. Volumnia’s success in preserving the city of Rome contrasts with the failed attempts by other male characters’ sole reliance on formal political channels. Through her interactions with her son Coriolanus, a politician with formal access to policymaking, she exemplifies how effective political agency can be achieved by her use of rhetoric, body language, and indirect influence to manipulate politicians with authority to achieve her private political pursuits. Volumnia’s certified success under a patriarchal narrative exemplifies possibilities for politically marginalized minorities in modern society, especially the female body.

Research on Problem-Oriented Teaching of Ideological and Political Theory Courses in Colleges and Universities

The process of teaching ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities is a process of resolving doubts and confusions. Problems are the chain that runs through this process and are the motivation for the development of thinking activities. The teaching of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities must adhere to problem orientation. Problem orientation is a distinctive feature of Marxism, an inherent requirement for teaching ideological and political theory courses well, and an era requirement that adapts to the needs of student development. Problem-oriented teaching activities must adhere to the basic principles of unity between theoretical indoctrination and problem inspiration, unity between teacher leadership and student subjectivity, and unity between value guidance and emphasis on effectiveness. As the main force in cultivating morality and cultivating souls, teachers of ideological and political theory courses should adhere to problem orientation, establish a student-centered teaching concept under problem orientation, optimize the teaching content system with "problems" as clues, and innovate teaching methods based on problem-based teaching.

The “benign prerogative”: Political theory and executive pardoning

The “benign prerogative”: Political theory and executive pardoning

On the Funding Chances of Political Theorizing

Abstract This article explores causes and consequences of the declining funding chances of political theorizing with the aim of advancing measures to offset them. Major national and international research programmes growingly present challenges that require problem-solving strategies. Applied research disciplines are better fitted to tackle them than basic research disciplines to which political theorizing belongs. Drawing on the enlightening contribution of theory to political research and politics, it argues that the knowledge it produces can be shared across disciplinary boundaries if its scientific reliability is secured. With that aim, the article submits two practical suggestions: enriching normative accounts of politics with research historically and institutionally informed, and streamlining its enquiring capacity by exploring standard, modular and integrated interdisciplinary approaches.

Political Leaders and Gender Disparity: The Link between Economic Hardship and Female Ministerial Appointments

Abstract While previous studies have examined the factors contributing to the appointment of women in government cabinets, few have investigated the role of political leaders in promoting women's cabinet representation. Drawing on political socialization theory, we argue that political leaders from economically disadvantaged backgrounds are more inclined to appoint female members to ministerial positions than their wealthier counterparts. This propensity stems from leaders’ personal experiences of economic hardship, which foster their interest in improving political equality among social groups and reducing gender disparities by appointing more female ministers. Analyzing an original dataset encompassing leaders’ family backgrounds across 155 countries between 1966 and 2015, we find that leaders who have experienced economic hardship significantly increase the proportion of female ministers in executive cabinets. This finding holds across various model specifications and effectively addresses endogeneity concerns. Our research highlights the crucial role of political leaders in shaping gender politics based on their economic backgrounds.

Endeavoring to engage in cooperative fisheries research in a contentious socio-political climate

Abstract Cooperative Fisheries Research (CFR) aims to incorporate different types of knowledge into fisheries science through the convergence of diverse perspectives, skills, and expertise. CFR can facilitate knowledge co-production and the salience, credibility, and legitimacy of science, yet it can be difficult to operationalize. In Maine’s American lobster fishery, where CFR is a hallmark of the fishery, pressure to implement conservation measures to protect North Atlantic right whales, one of the world’s most endangered large whale species, poses a major challenge for harvesters. Endeavoring to follow best practices associated with CFR, our research team set out to work with state management and fishing industry partners to evaluate the socioeconomic impacts of new whale conservation regulations on the fishery. We co-defined relevant and actionable research questions and designed a sampling approach that included multiple efforts to contact industry participants. Although the process we engaged in had some of the key ingredients for success, ultimately participation was too low to achieve our research aims. We use this paper to discuss our failure and draw on the theory of scalar politics from critical geography to reflect on challenges we encountered, including how the contentious socio-political backdrop within which the initiative transpired impacted our research.

Weak Utopianism in Education: From Political Theory to Pedagogical Practice (By Michael P. A. Murphy)

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Faith, Politics and Eschatology in the Thought of Joseph Ratzinger

This paper situates the political theory of Joseph Ratzinger within the tradition of St. Augustine and argues that while his position on the liberal tradition is in some ways ambivalent, he is closer to the British Tory tradition than to the British Whig Tradition. Ratzinger emphasises that Christian faith destroyed the myth of the divine state and replaced it with a conception of the state governed by ‘the objectivity of reason’ and for Ratzinger ‘true human reason involves morality, which lives on God’s commandments’. Ratzinger strongly opposed the alignment of politics with eschatology.

The Contemporary Value and Practical Path of Integrating Red Culture into Ideological and Political Theory Courses

The Contemporary Value and Practical Path of Integrating Red Culture into Ideological and Political Theory Courses