Chantal Mouffe

Ernesto Laclau

How is the present crisis of left-wing thought to be understood?

Towards a Radical Democratic Politics

Hegemony and Socialist Strategy

We are currently witnessing in Western Europe a “populist moment” that signals the crisis of neoliberal hegemony. The central axis of the political conflict will be between right- and left-wing populism. By establishing a frontier between “the people” and “the oligarchy,” a leftpopulist strategy could bring together the manifold struggles against subordination, oppression and discrimination.This strategy acknowledges that democratic discourse plays a crucial role in the political imaginary of our societies. And through the construction of a collective will, mobilizing common affects in defence of equality and social justice, it will be possible to combat the xenophobic policies promoted by right-wing populism.

For a Left Populism

These case studies are also highly effective points of reference for student revision.

On the Political

The Democratic Paradox

Political conflict in our society is inevitable, and the results are often far from negative. How then should we deal with the intractable differences arising from complex modern culture? In Agonistics, Mouffe develops her philosophy, taking particular interest in international relations, strategies for radical politics and the politics of artistic practices. In a series of coruscating essays, she engages with cosmopolitanism, post-operaism, and theories of multiple modernities to argue in favor of a multipolar world with a real cultural and political pluralism.

Thinking the World Politically

Agonistics

An original and powerful statement which enables us to close the widening gap between liberal democracy and the events of a disordered world.

The Return of the Political

Pluralism, Citizenship, Community (Phronesis)

Dimensions of Radical Democracy

The Challenge of Carl Schmitt

W obronie lewicowego populizmu

Sol Popülizm

Schmitt's thought serves as a warning against the dangers of complacency entailed by triumphant liberalism. In this collection of essays Schmitt reminds us that the essence of politics is struggle.

In this hugely influential book, Laclau and Mouffe examine the workings of hegemony and contemporary social struggles, and their significance for democratic theory. With the emergence of new social and political identities, and the frequent attacks on Left theory for its essentialist underpinnings, Hegemony and Socialist Strategy remains as relevant as ever, positing a much- needed antidote against 'Third Way' attempts to overcome the opposition between Left and Right. "A brilliant tour de force of scholarship and argument." Marxism Today

Political conflict in our society is inevitable, and the results are often far from negative. How then should we deal with the intractable differences arising from complex modern culture? Developing her groundbreaking political philosophy of agnostics--the search for a radical and plural democracy--Chantal Mouffe examines international relations, strategies for radical politics, the future of Europe and the politics of artistic practices. She shows that in many circumstances where no alternatives seem possible, agonistics offers a new road map for change. Engaging with cosmopolitanism, post-operaism, and theories of multiple modernities she argues in favor of a multipolar world with a real cultural and political pluralism. -- Publisher's website.

thinking the world politically

Sobre o Político

Chantal Mouffe es junto al recientemente fallecido Ernesto Laclau, una de las voces más reconocidas de la actual teoría política. En su último libro, Agonística, propone repensar la política y las formas de la democracia, sobre todo en el contexto de las relaciones internacionales, y con una mirada especialmente enfocada en la actualidad de Europa.

pensar el mundo políticamente

Agonística

Como podemos reagir frente a ascensão do populismo? Para filosofa política belga Chantal Mouffe, o "momento populista" que estamos testemunhando sinaliza para a crise mais aguda da hegemonia neoliberal. O eixo central do conflito será entre o populismo de direita e de esquerda. Ao estabelecer esta nova fronteira entre "o povo" e "a oligarquia", a estratégia populista de esquerda pode reunir novamente as múltiplas lutas contra subordinação, opressão e discriminação. Essa estratégia reconhece que o discurso democrático desempenha um papel crucial no imaginário político de nossas sociedades. E, através da construção de uma vontade coletiva, mobilizando afetos comuns em defesa da igualdade e da justiça social, será possível combater as políticas belicosas e demagógicas promovidas pelo populismo de direita. Ao redesenhar as fronteiras políticas, esse momento aponta para um "retorno do político" após anos de pós-política. O retorno pode abrir caminho para experienciais autoritárias – através de regimes que enfraquecem as instituições democráticas liberais -, mas também pode levar a uma reafirmação e extensão dos valores democráticos. "Influenciando os partidos de esquerda que assumiram o governo, da Grécia a Portugal e ao México. O livro é uma introdução grandiosa escrito por uma das principais pensadoras de esquerda do século XXI." — Paul Mason, The Guardian "Argumentos a favor do populismo de esquerda para combater os dois elitismo, o tecnocrático neoliberal e as versões reacionárias e xenófobas do populismo". – Publishers Weekly

Por um Populismo de Esquerda

La crisis del marxismo es abordada en este libro por medio de una crítica a su esencialismo filosófico y a su concepto de sujeto unitario y fundante. La hegemonía es vista como una categoría central del análisis político y se estudian su formulación y su desarrollo. A partir de ella, se intenta hacer la propuesta de un nuevo proyecto socialista frente al orden neoliberal imperante: crear un democracia radicalizada y plural capaz de articular las múltiples luchas contra las distintas formas de subordinación.

hacia una radicalización de la democracia

Hegemonía y estrategia socialista

Rabih Mroué

The Space of Agonism

"Chantal Mouffe's writings have been innovatory with respect to democratic theory, Marxism and feminism. Her work derives from, and has always been engaged with, contemporary political events and intellectual debates. This sense of conflict informs both the methodological and substantive propositions she offers. Determinisms, scientific or otherwise, and ideologies, Marxist or feminist, have failed to survive her excoriating critiques. In a sense she is the original post-Marxist, rejecting economisms and class-centric analyses, and the original post-feminist, more concerned with the varieties of 'identity politics' than with any singularities of 'women's issues'. While Mouffe's concerns with power and discourse derive from her studies of Gramsci's theorisations of hegemony and the post-structuralisms of Derrida and Foucault, her reversal of the very terms through which political theory proceeds is very much her own. She centres conflict, not consensus, and disagreement, not finality. Whether philosophically perfectionist, or liberally reasonable, political theorists have been challenged by Mouffe to think again, and to engage with a new concept of 'the political' and a revived and refreshed notion of 'radical democracy'. The editor has focused on her work in three key areas: - Hegemony: From Gramsci to 'Post-Marxism' - Radical Democracy: Pluralism, Citizenship and Identity - The Political: A Politics Beyond Consensus The volume concludes with a new interview with Chantal Mouffe. James Martin is Professor of Politics at Goldsmiths, University of London, UK. He has published widely on Italian political thought, contemporary political theory and rhetoric."--

Chantal Mouffe

Books

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