Social Theory and the Political Imaginary: Practice Critique, and History

Social Theory and the Political Imaginary explores the tensions of global modernity, advances original social theory interpretations of landmark instances of social contestation, and reconsiders the interrelationship of practice, critique, and history.

Format: Hardback
Length: 198 pages
Publication date: 01 December 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Social Theory and the Political Imaginary: Practice, Critique, and History is a groundbreaking work that combines synthesis, critique, and analysis to offer a novel perspective on social theory. It heralds a social theory approach that acknowledges the crucial role of the political imaginary in modernity. The book explores the current dilemmas of social theory through a series of interconnected assessments of significant strands, including pragmatism, the practical turn, perspectives of multiple modernities and global modernity, social and political imaginaries, and critical social theory.

The reconfigurations of the political imaginary are evident in the tensions of global modernity, and original interpretations of social theory are advanced in response to landmark instances of social contestation in the twenty-first century. These include the Hong Kong protests, which were conditioned by threats to civil freedoms and a lack of self-determination; the radical democratic practices of anti-austerity movements contesting capitalist globalization's injustices; and the inverted cosmopolitanism of the 2005 French Riots, which challenged the oppression and inequalities experienced by immigrant communities and marginalized youth.

These incisive applications of social theory and complementary conceptual innovations shed light on the complexities of social struggles, political forms, and theoretical perspectives. Furthermore, reflection on the political imaginary enables a necessary rethinking of the interrelationship between practice, critique, and history.

In conclusion, Social Theory and the Political Imaginary: Practice, Critique, and History is a groundbreaking work that contributes significantly to the field of social theory. It offers a novel perspective that recognizes the political imaginary's constitutive significance in modernity and explores the current dilemmas of social theory through a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach. By examining landmark instances of social contestation and applying social theory in innovative ways, the book provides valuable insights into the complexities of social struggles, political forms, and theoretical perspectives. It also encourages a rethinking of the interrelationship between practice, critique, and history, paving the way for new understandings of social change and transformation.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032415949