Michael Freeden
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199600670
- eISBN:
- 9780191738203
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199600670.003.0014
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This chapter traces the intellectual trajectory of the author from analysing liberal thought, through exploring the structure and meaning of ideologies, to investigating the actual thought practice ...
More
This chapter traces the intellectual trajectory of the author from analysing liberal thought, through exploring the structure and meaning of ideologies, to investigating the actual thought practice of thinking politically. It then considers five responsibilities of political theorists towards their profession: relevance, understanding, inclusiveness, critical distance, and tentativeness. Relevance refers to the relationship of political thinking to the real world, to the accessibility of political theory to ordinary people, and to incorporating the vernacular. Understanding refers to the quest for interpretative complexity and for regularities of thinking through decoding political thought. Inclusiveness refers to studying of all forms of political thinking impartially, as well as penetrating disciplinary boundaries. Critical distance alludes to the ability to assess one’s own perspectival shortcomings, and to the level of magnification employed in illuminating an issue. Tentativeness relates to flexibility in assessing one’s findings, awaiting contrary interpretation. These five responsibilities are applied to previous chapters.Less
This chapter traces the intellectual trajectory of the author from analysing liberal thought, through exploring the structure and meaning of ideologies, to investigating the actual thought practice of thinking politically. It then considers five responsibilities of political theorists towards their profession: relevance, understanding, inclusiveness, critical distance, and tentativeness. Relevance refers to the relationship of political thinking to the real world, to the accessibility of political theory to ordinary people, and to incorporating the vernacular. Understanding refers to the quest for interpretative complexity and for regularities of thinking through decoding political thought. Inclusiveness refers to studying of all forms of political thinking impartially, as well as penetrating disciplinary boundaries. Critical distance alludes to the ability to assess one’s own perspectival shortcomings, and to the level of magnification employed in illuminating an issue. Tentativeness relates to flexibility in assessing one’s findings, awaiting contrary interpretation. These five responsibilities are applied to previous chapters.
