Democracy and Ontology ― Agonism Between Political Liberalism, Foucault and Psychoanalysis

This book investigates the relationship between liberal democracies and ontology, that is, philosophical claims about the constitution of agents and the social world. Many philosophers argue that ontology needs to be avoided in political and legal philosophy. In fact, political liberalism, a highly influential paradigm founded by the philosopher John Rawls, makes the avoidance of ontology a core ambition of its 'political, non-metaphysical' program. In contrast to political liberalism, this book argues that attending to ontological disputes is essential to political and legal philosophy. Illuminating, criticizing, and developing ontological arguments not only enhances our understanding of justice, but also highlights key features of democratic citizenship. Three traditions of thought are brought together to back up this idea: political liberalism, the work of Michel Foucault, and the psychoanalytic theories of Sigmund Freud and Donald Winnicott. The book also investigates more concrete implications of ontological disputes by drawing on several case studies: a Dutch political-legal debate about greeting rituals; an American conflict about the legalization of religious freedom; and the struggles for resilience of two American social movement groups. Revised Dissertation. (Series: European Academy of Legal Theory Series) [Subject: Legal Philosophy, Political Theory, Politics, Constitutional & Administrative Law]

Irena Rosenthal is Assistant Professor at PPLE College at the University of Amsterdam.