The Real World of Democratic Theory

(Paperback)

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In this book, Ian Shapiro develops and extends arguments that have established him as one of today's leading democratic theorists. Shapiro is hardheaded about the realities of politics and power, and the difficulties of fighting injustice and oppression. Yet he makes a compelling case that democracy's legitimacy depends on pressing it into the service of resisting domination, and that democratic theorists must rise to the occasion of fashioning the necessary tools. That vital agenda motivates the arguments of this book. Tracing modern democracy's roots to John Locke and the American founders, Shapiro shows that they saw more deeply into the dynamics of democratic politics than have many of their successors. Drawing on Lockean and Madisonian insights, Shapiro evaluates democracy's changing global fortunes over the past two decades. He also shows how elusive democracy can be by exploring the contrast between its successful establishment in South Africa and its failures elsewhere - particularly the Middle East. Shapiro spells out the implications of his account for long-standing debates about public opinion, judicial review, abortion, and inherited wealth - as well as more recent preoccupations with globalization, national security, and international terrorism. Scholars, students, and democratic activists will all learn from Shapiro's trenchant account of democracy's foundations, its history, and its contemporary challenges. They will also find his distinctive democratic vision both illuminating and appealing.

Reviews

One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2011: Top 25 Books Winner of the 2011 Silver Medal Book of the Year Award in Political Science, ForeWord Reviews "While Professor Shapiro will not quell every critic of democracy in this volume, his observations go a long way to pressing the argument not only that democracy's foundations are legitimate, but also that it is still urgently needed to combat forms of domination throughout the world."--Harvard Law Review "This book collects several essays Shapiro has written (or co-written) over the past decade, and an excellent introduction locates them in his account of democracy and justice. Unlike many collections, this work is remarkably unified in its voice and line of argument."--Choice "By bringing together normative ideals and empirical causes, Shapiro places the health of the political order back at the center of political science."--Russell Muirhead, Review of Politics "Students of politics and diplomats will find this well-written book invaluable."--Sylvester Odion Akhaine, Political Studies Review

Author Bio

Ian Shapiro is the Sterling Professor of Political Science at Yale University. Among his many books are "Containment: Rebuilding a Strategy against Global Terror" and "The Flight from Reality in the Human Sciences" (both Princeton).