Political Theory and the Displacement of Politics

Political Theory and the Displacement of Politics, published in 1993, is a founding text of agonism that treats political contestation as a necessary and joyful feature of democratic life. Bonnie Honig argues that political theorists of opposing positions often treat political theory as a series of devices for its displacement, relying on principles of right, rationality, community, and law to protect their theories from political reality. Honig explores an alternative politics of virtú that treats the disruptions of political order as valued sites of democratic freedom and individuality.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 15 March 2023
Publisher: Cornell University Press

Political Theory and the Displacement of Politics, originally published in 1993, has been hailed as a seminal text in agonism, which views political contention not as a regrettable necessity to rectify political imperfections but as a vital and occasionally exhilarating aspect of democratic life. In the preface to this thirtieth anniversary edition, Bonnie Honig emphasizes that the agonism that underpins this book is democratic, committed to shared spaces and relational practices where diverse groups and individuals establish and redefine the terms of living together as equals. By challenging the conventional relationship between politics and political theory, Honig argues that political theorists from opposing positions often view political theory less as an exploration of politics and more as a series of tools for its displacement. She characterizes Kant, Rawls, and Sandel as virtue theorists of politics, relying on principles of right, rationality, community, and law to shield their political theories from the conflicts and uncertainties of political reality. Instead, Honig delves into an alternative politics of virtú, which embraces the disruptions of political order as valued sites of democratic freedom and individuality.

Political Theory and the Displacement of Politics

Political Theory and the Displacement of Politics, originally published in 1993, has been hailed as a seminal text in agonism, which views political contention not as a regrettable necessity to rectify political imperfections but as a vital and occasionally exhilarating aspect of democratic life. In the preface to this thirtieth anniversary edition, Bonnie Honig emphasizes that the agonism that underpins this book is democratic, committed to shared spaces and relational practices where diverse groups and individuals establish and redefine the terms of living together as equals. By challenging the conventional relationship between politics and political theory, Honig argues that political theorists from opposing positions often view political theory less as an exploration of politics and more as a series of tools for its displacement. She characterizes Kant, Rawls, and Sandel as virtue theorists of politics, relying on principles of right, rationality, community, and law to shield their political theories from the conflicts and uncertainties of political reality. Instead, Honig delves into an alternative politics of virtú, which embraces the disruptions of political order as valued sites of democratic freedom and individuality.

Political Theory and the Displacement of Politics

Political Theory and the Displacement of Politics, originally published in 1993, has been hailed as a seminal text in agonism, which views political contention not as a regrettable necessity to rectify political imperfections but as a vital and occasionally exhilarating aspect of democratic life. In the preface to this thirtieth anniversary edition, Bonnie Honig emphasizes that the agonism that underpins this book is democratic, committed to shared spaces and relational practices where diverse groups and individuals establish and redefine the terms of living together as equals. By challenging the conventional relationship between politics and political theory, Honig argues that political theorists from opposing positions often view political theory less as an exploration of politics and more as a series of tools for its displacement. She characterizes Kant, Rawls, and Sandel as virtue theorists of politics, relying on principles of right, rationality, community, and law to shield their political theories from the conflicts and uncertainties of political reality. Instead, Honig delves into an alternative politics of virtú, which embraces the disruptions of political order as valued sites of democratic freedom and individuality.

Weight: 28g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501768446
Edition number: 30th Anniversary Edition