Disenchantment with Democracy
A Psychological Perspective
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Oxford University Press Inc
Published:22nd Jun '20
Should be back in stock very soon
In recent years, there has been a rise in social movements and organizations that challenge the very foundations of liberal democracy on a global scale. Discrepancies of interests, ideological or worldview contradictions, and identity differences are more likely now to transform into destructive conflicts, and violence is used as a legitimate method for attaining political and economic goals. Drawing on the knowledge accumulated in social and political psychology, this book scrutinizes these phenomena and provides an even deeper understanding of the nature of these conflicts. The book also addresses the imperfections of liberal institutions, which can exacerbate these divides, providing crucial context for understanding contemporary political tensions and their effects on the world's democracies.
Recommended * Choice *
"This is an important book, with a clear message, well organized and well documented. Ever since Habermas, we have been flooded with theories of democracy that see it as a result of a consensus resulting from rational deliberation. But these theories have been largely normative and based on a priori assumptions about rationality. Reykowski's attempt is ground-breaking in seeking to establish individual and social psychological bases of consensus building. He invokes a massive amount of empirical literature. Moreover, he has the distinction of having been a prominent participant in an event that best exemplifies the consensus building that he is after: the 1989 negotiations that led to the fall of communism in Poland. His account of these negotiations is riveting." * Adam Przeworski, Professor of Politics, New York University *
ISBN: 9780190078584
Dimensions: 157mm x 236mm x 23mm
Weight: 544g
276 pages