Agonistic Democracy and Political Practice: Ways of Being Adversarial

The book explores the implications of agonistic democratic theory for political practice, arguing that it offers a rethinking of political practice to understand challenges to democracy and envision more democratic, inclusive, and peaceful alternatives. It draws on the agonistic theory of Chantal Mouffe and advances an account of agonistic peace that is best fitted to the pluralistic and inherently conflictual nature of democratic societies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 235 pages
Publication date: 30 August 2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This comprehensive book delves into the profound implications of agonistic democratic theory for political practice. Fuat Gürsözlü, in his insightful analysis, argues that in a time when political parties exacerbate political division, political protesters are often labeled as looters and terrorists, and extreme partisanship and authoritarian tendencies are on the rise, a fresh rethinking of political practice is urgently needed to critically understand the challenges to democracy and envision more democratic, inclusive, and peaceful alternatives. Drawing inspiration from Chantal Mouffe's agonistic theory and incorporating insights from other prominent agonistic scholars, Gürsözlü presents a distinctive approach that establishes the connections between the agonistic approach and political practice. His central claim is that adopting an agonistic perspective in democratic politics fundamentally alters our understanding of democratic society, the role of political protest within it, the nature of adversarial engagement, and the democratic function of political parties.

Furthermore, the book offers an insightful account of agonistic peace, tailored to the pluralistic and inherently conflictual nature of democratic societies. This work is of paramount interest to scholars, researchers, and practitioners in the fields of contemporary political theory, political philosophy, peace studies, and the philosophy of peace. It provides valuable insights and perspectives that will contribute to our understanding of the complexities and challenges of democratic politics and inspire the pursuit of more inclusive and harmonious societies.

Weight: 444g
Dimension: 152 x 216 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031059988
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022