While the subject of democracy has been explored by philosophers since ancient times, in the last few decades democracy has been taken for granted in the West as the political norm. The recognition of democracy as an empty concept in Western political discourse and the emergence of theories of radical democracy have renewed engagement in democratic theory and politics.
Radicalizing Democracy for the Twenty-first Century explores the radicalizing movement in democratic thought and:
• Introduces readers to the key debates in contemporary philosophical theories about democracy.
• Confronts popular assumptions about democracy.
• Provides a philosophical underpinning for the rise of radical democratic theories, movements and politics.
• Examines how radical democracy can respond to the challenges of the contemporary world.
Radicalizing Democracy for the Twenty-first Century is an important resource for students, scholars and university teachers in the field of political philosophy, political theory and international relations.
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part I: Situating Radical Democracy
Chapter 1. The Idea of Democracy
Chapter 2. Theories of Radical Democracy
Part II: Radical Democracy in Action
Chapter 3. Subjects and Agency: Who is the Radical Democrat?
Chapter 4. Communities in Question: Where is the Radical Democrat?
Chapter 5. Radical Deliberations: The Radical Democrat in Action
Part III: Radical Democracy in a Globalized World
Chapter 6. Radical Cosmopolitanism
Chapter 7. Greening Democracy as Radical Democracy
Conclusion
Index
Biography
Jane Mummery is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at Federation University, Australia. She is the author of Post-Metaphysical Ethics: An Outline of Post-Metaphysical Ethics (Peter Lang 2005) and Understanding Feminism (with Peta Bowden, Acumen 2009). Her principal research interests are in the political and ethical emancipatory movements sponsored by post-foundational philosophy.
Jane Mummery has done a great service to students of radical democracy with this lucid and wide-ranging introduction. Her book is an expert overview and analysis of the debates surrounding radical politics today, among both academics and activists. - Lasse Thomassen, Queen Mary University of London, UK
Jane Mummery’s Radicalizing Democracy for the Twenty-first Century offers a much needed overview of the heterogeneous and emerging field of radical democratic theory. It make these often complex and abstract theories accessible to students of all levels and situates them within key theoretical trends while also demonstrating their relevance for understanding and responding to current political concerns. Mummery’s book is a must for any course in modern political theory and international relations. - Kevin Inston, University College London, UK
