Fer reviewed Agonistics by Chantal Mouffe
Review of 'Agonistics' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Chantal Mouffe raises sensible points in 'Agonistics'. An abridged compilation of her thoughts, it brings up many issues in the current state of affairs of democracy. While I find many of her ideas worth considering, my thoughts on other arguments are less favourable. Whereas she finds reason to be out of the question in the political arena and finds emotions as a good substitute for social cohesion, I believe the positive outcomes of this idea may not justify their use (indeed, she acknowledges the risks of a constructivist approach to nationalism in a context where essentialism is the norm.) However, her opposition to horizontalism is a good case, insofar as the idea of complete rejection of institutions may result in a suppression of pluralism, a key element of Mouffe's thought. With these issues in mind, a sensible defence of democracy and social pluralism needs to take the ideas of republican …
Chantal Mouffe raises sensible points in 'Agonistics'. An abridged compilation of her thoughts, it brings up many issues in the current state of affairs of democracy. While I find many of her ideas worth considering, my thoughts on other arguments are less favourable. Whereas she finds reason to be out of the question in the political arena and finds emotions as a good substitute for social cohesion, I believe the positive outcomes of this idea may not justify their use (indeed, she acknowledges the risks of a constructivist approach to nationalism in a context where essentialism is the norm.) However, her opposition to horizontalism is a good case, insofar as the idea of complete rejection of institutions may result in a suppression of pluralism, a key element of Mouffe's thought. With these issues in mind, a sensible defence of democracy and social pluralism needs to take the ideas of republican socialists and post-Marxists such as Mouffe into account.