The themes of citizenship and community are today at the centre of a fierce debate as both Left and Right try to mobilize them for their cause. For the Left such notions are crucial in all the current attempts to redefine political struggle through extending and deepening democracy. But, argue the contributors to this volume, these concepts need to be made compatible with the pluralism that marks modern democracy. Rather than reject the liberal tradition, they argue, the aim should be to radicalize it. These essays set out to examine what types of 'citizen' and 'community' might be required by such a radical and plural democracy. From a range of disciplines and a fruitful diversity of theoretical perspectives, the contributors help us to address the following challenge: how to defend the greatest possible pluralism without destroying the very framework of the democratic political community. Despite their differences, a vision emerges from these essays which is sharply at odds both with the universalistic and rationalistic conception to be found in the work of Habermas, and with postmodern celebrations of absolute heterogeneity. For this book is an exploration of politics--of a politics where power, conflict and antagonism will always play a central role.
- ISBN10 0860913449
- ISBN13 9780860913443
- Publish Date 24 March 1992
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 11 April 1996
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Verso Books
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 336
- Language English