Agonistic Democracy and Political Practice: Ways of Being Adversarial

by Fuat Gürsözlü

Overview

This book explores the implications of agonistic democratic theory for political practice. Fuat Gürsözlü argues that at a time when political parties exacerbate political division, political protesters are characterized as looters and terrorists, and extreme partisanship and authoritarian tendencies are on the rise, the agonistic approach offers a much-needed rethinking of political practice to critically understand challenges to democracy and envision more democratic, inclusive, and peaceful alternatives. Inspired by Chantal Mouffe’s agonistic theory and drawing on insightsof other prominent agonistic scholars, Gürsözlü offers a distinctive approach that develops the connections between the agonistic approach and political practice. His main claim is that approaching democratic politics from an agonistic perspective changes the way we understand the nature of democratic society, the place of political protest in democracy, the nature of adversarial engagement, and the democratic function of political parties. The book also advances an account of agonistic peace that is best fitted to the pluralistic and inherently conflictual nature of democratic societies. This book should be of interest to anyone working in the field of contemporary political theory, political philosophy, peace studies, and philosophy of peace.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783031059995
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan
Publication date:	08/29/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	390 KB

About the Author

Fuat Gürsözlü is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Loyola University Maryland, USA. 

Table of Contents

1. Democracy: Radical or Agnostic?.- 2. For a More Democratic Agonistic Politics.- 3. Expanding Agonistic Engagement.- 4. Agonistic Spaces and the Value of Political Protest.- 5. What Should We Expect from Political Parties? An Agonistic Account of Political Party.- 6. Thinking Peace Agonistically.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Through agonistic reflections on diverse political practices, Agonistic Democracy and Political Practice demonstrates how democratic solidarity is the achievement of conflictual interaction. Gürsozlü pictures democracy as a fragile equilibrium sustained by an adversarial engagement that keeps the contingent settlements of political life from becoming sedimented.” (—Andrew Schaap, Associate Professor of Political Thought and Politics, University of Exeter, UK)