Populism and The People in Contemporary Critical Thought: Politics, Philosophy, and Aesthetics

(Hardback)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Is populism the unsurpassable horizon of our own time or is it a temptation that should at all costs be resisted Who, and to what end, does the jargon of populism serve To answer these questions, Alexander Stagnell, Gustav Strandberg, David Payne, and their contributors trace the socio-historical significance of the concept of The People in western philosophy and its relationship to the trend of populist politics today. Bringing together scholars from the fields of aesthetics, critical, cultural and political theory, philosophy, and rhetoric, this volume critically explores the issues facing contemporary society today. With an international team of authors, each chapter speaks to a range of contexts recently affected by populism today, including Sweden, Brazil, Germany, Austria, France, and the UK. As political and economic establishments face a crisis of legitimacy, Populism and The People in Contemporary Critical Thought reveals the shaky foundations on which the concept of The People rests. Engaging with critical theory, feminist theory, Marxism, phenomenology, and psychoanalysis, this collection highlights how The People comes to stand in for both belonging and exclusion, enabling us to see the uses and abuses of such terminology as pressing theoretical and political concerns.

Reviews

If critical thought can be briefly defined as the activity of unravelling the different scopes of power relationships, this collection of articles draws this task to its ultimate consequences. The people alongside populismkey political categories for the debate of our timeare scrutinised in a variety of dimensions making this book an indispensable read. * Paula Biglieri, Professor of Political Theory, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina *
This refreshing volume brings together insights from different strands of thought in the humanities and social sciences to explore the notion of the people, its significance for democracy, and its relation to populism. Grounded in political philosophy, affective theory, aesthetics, and political theory, it provides a great springboard for critical reflexivity and interdisciplinary dialogue in the field. * Giorgos Katsambekis, Researcher in Comparative Politics, National Centre for Social Research (EKKE), Greece *

Author Bio

Alexander Stagnell is Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Rhetoric at the Free University of Brussels (ULB), Belgium. David Payne has a PhD in Political Theory, and lectures and researches at Sdertrn University. He is also International Research Editor for Sdertrn University, Sweden. Gustav Strandberg is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at Sdertrn University, Sweden.