Search Results

Michael Freeden’s magisterial work, Ideologies and Political Theory, is a key contribution to contemporary political theory, developing the systematic study of political ideologies in terms of their conceptual morphology. This chapter considers the relation of political philosophy, ideologies, and the study of political ideologies, focusing on Freeden’s depiction of ‘American philosophical liberalism’, which he sees as ‘an ideological phenomenon like any other liberal doctrine’. The chapter considers two questions. (1) Can we adequately distinguish liberalism as an ideology from philosophical theories of liberalism? (2) Can a second-level study of political doctrines such as Freeden’s normatively criticize a first-level theory such as American philosophical liberalism as resting on false claims, without itself becoming just another first-level theory?

The concept of ‘evil’ has a long history in the western tradition, extending from early theological debate, through tortured discussion of the relationship between moral and religious issues, to a contemporary context in which moral and political theory have domains of discourse in their own right. This book explores the actual and possible roles of evil in contemporary political theory. This chapter notes that whether in outlining criteria for the limits of toleration, in understanding the development of humanitarian international law, in theorising post-conflict situations, or in making sense of political rhetoric, the notion of evil has an important contribution to make. What becomes clear, whether from the point of view of the perpetrators of necessary evil, of the victims of evil, or of political actors making judgements about evil, is that it demands understanding. Political theory should not sidestep such a demand but rather explore ways of meeting it.

Examines the shifting relationship between environmental political theory and the political philosophy of liberalism. Earlier writings often developed a total critique of, while more recent ones offer an increasingly nuanced engagement with, liberal theory. This turn toward liberalism echoes a similar turn among many other Anglo-American political theorists in the past generation. The argument in this chapter is neither for nor against the possibility of “greening” liberalism per se. Instead, it is argued that the preoccupation with liberalism in this context – whether for or against -- is a category mistake. It is based upon the reification of liberalism as not just a political philosophy, but a characterization of citizen values and practices in contemporary liberal democratic societies. By taking leave of debates about liberalism, a different way of thinking about the role and task of environmental political theory and social criticism might be developed. The key is to ask whether a theoretical argument resonates with citizens, not whether it can be reconciled with liberalism.