Political Theory in Transition

This topic basically aims to answer the following questions:

1.) What is the subfield/subdiscipline of Political Science (PS)?
2.) What is the course of Political Theory (PT)?
3.) What are the problems of PT?

A. PT as a subfield/subdiscipline of PS.
- this discussion obviously speaks of the first main difference between History of Political Theory (HPT)
and Contemporary Political Theory (CPT)--CPT, today is a subfield and it is no longer seen or treated as a
mere familiarization (or reading) of canonical texts that basically initiated the study of politics in the past
(or HPT).
- this discussion highlights the filial relationship between HPT and CPT--CPT, historically speaking, is a
very old subfield, probably, one of the oldest in PS.

Definition: PT is an interdisciplinary endeavor in PS (also in History, Philosophy, etc.) which uses

various traditions, approaches and styles in theorizing, critiquing and diagnosing the norms,
practices, and organization of political action.

-Political Theory vs. Political Philosophy (PP)

PP PT
Scope: All-encompassing Particular
Subject Matter: Man Plurality of Men (political man)
Attitude: Prescriptive claim-making/critical-imaginative
Engaging: Monologue Dialogue

Political Theory as a Vocation (Sheldon Wolin)

- a work written to make sense of PT as a subfield.
- Wolin wants to discuss some of the implications of the primacy of method during the modern
period.
- 1960s-1970s - Behavioral Revolution in the American PS.
- ultimate criterion is the method or a technique in data-gathering
o Methodism
is a way to truth
following a way of mental steps
following a logical procedure whose aim is to sift and order experience
is a guarantee against error; an intellectual conduct
cartesian way equated technique with method. This involves the doubting any
form of resistance.
relies on the relative stability and certainty of the status quo.
- PS started to redefine itself as scientific
- PS now becomes more interested in identifying regularities
- PS now aims to produce normal scientists
- Political Scientists who know how to practice the profession by inculcating skills, biases,
explanations, narratives, etc. that are scientific in orientation
-this work talks about the Relegation of PT
- involves a narrow sense of the political
- it is devoid of theoretical discussion (why did it become?)
 -American PS now purges its people of any biases & prejudices that resist or goes against a
smooth & stable way of doings.
-Traditional PT or HPT was diminished to canonical texts
- a compilation of accepted PT works.
- this is recognition often leads to the silencing of PT.
- it lacks continuities and problematizations.

- it also discusses the Problem with the Relegation of PT or the Relevance of PT today
- the relegation leads to the impoverishment of the education of PS
- this involves the unwillingness of PS to progress--to confront or talk about emerging and new
political issues.
- PT has tacit knowledge which informs facts
- abstractions
- past practices
-meanings
- ideas
- facts about the political are usually sanctioned by the a political theory.
- PT celebrates creativity by allowing theorists to create possibilities in making sense of the
political
- PT creates a plurality of visions
- visions that may cover or involve other issues
- a never-ending accumulation of visions/divisions
- PT implies a capacity for discriminative judgment
- adoption of a theory signifies a form of submission--a certain sensibility.
-metaphysical capturing
- ideational divisions (one begins, one leaves off)
- Jettisoning PT would mean:
- getting rid of the metaphysical/normative considerations
- entail foreclosing other political phenomena that could have been
- Absence of PT would lead to the theoretical myopia of PS.
- HPT, in its singularity or without CPT, is a mere political initiation
- the requirement to master the canonical texts is supposed to develop discriminative judgment
- HPT, with its historical excesses on the progression of theorizing is a silencing approach to
political theorizing itself because of its continuity.
- HPT forecloses the provocative and strange and favors the familiar and the confirmative--it is
therefore a metaphorical suspension and activation of things.
- it makes sense of the Vocation of Political Theory
a. a vocation that is concerned with PUBLIC.
b. it is CRITICAL--always deals with anomalies.
c. in particular, it is interested with the explanation of the SYSTEMIC MISTAKE-
derangement of arrangement, decision, belief, etc.
d. it is always RADICAL--it offers a symbolic picture of an ordered rule.
e. it is a subfield in PS that is always oriented toward CHANGE.

PT as a course
- this discussion obviously talks about the second main difference between HPT and CPT--today,
CPT goes beyond the canonical claims of the old PT.
 - it highlights the relevance of IMAGINATION or the tendency to make that something that has
never existed present to the mind.

The Adequacy of the Canon (George Kateb)

- a work written to make sense of the relationship between the canonical HPT and CPT.
o is HPT or CPT enough to make the contemporary political events/problems intelligible?
o is HPT or CPT the only way to make contemporary political events/problems intelligible?
- the work basically tackles some of the items/topics already mentioned by Wolin
o in particular, it is interested in justifying the vocation of PT (in contrast to mere
recognition of the canons of PT)
- this discussion, basically, is interested in explaining the relevance of CPT vis-a-vis HPT, by taking
into account the following essential features of PT:
o Public
o critical-abstraction
o anomalies-systemic mistakes
o symbolic picture of ordered rule
o change
- the concept of events in this discussion is defined as any happening that deals with humanly
inflicted suffering on human beings and the mentalities that permit the initiation and
implementation of such deeds.
- the discussion makes sense of the Canon
o Canon means the canonical texts, compiled and recognized as PT works. They are
public, critical, anomaly-oriented, symbolic pictures of ordered rule, and change-
oriented.
- its main purpose is to instruct the present of the past attempts to theorize the political (from
the Ancient Greeks to the modern-day Geeks)
o to assist PS in anticipating and preparing themselves for the major political events that
affect humanity in general.
- its purpose is to highlight some of the claims/assumptions about the political in a manner that
seems to defy space and time (that is why it is always closely associated with PP).
- its main theme: Political Man vs. Structures that affect him
- dominant view: structure that will tame the evil man
- it presents the Political Theory as an Imagination
o imagination as a fundamental characteristic of CPT.
o two dimensions:
manifestation:
hyperactive - privileging
inactive - silencing
nature:
benign (positive imagination)
malignant (false imagination)
- contemporary imagination should be mindful of this nuancing.
- canon (HPT) & CPT should always work together in making sure that contemporary political
theorizing will not lose its sight to the very object that PT serve.
- it calls for the creative (balanced) use of both HPT and CPT in political theorizing.
PT and its problems
- this discussion involves the third difference between HPT and CPT--CPT is more imaginative,
ambitious, and open about the changing characteristics of political (and its problems).
- this discussion highlights the inevitable diversity in CPT brought by the never-ending
politicization of human reality.
- the imagination of the political means the creation of new openings and possibilities (that
necessitate intervention, of course) to the normalcy of the political.
- it renders the thinking and appreciation of the political, unstable.
- it talks about the six (6) PT traditions:
a.) Social Justice and Welfare Rights Theory
- this tradition raises the question: Whether or not the government is able to ameliorate
social oppression and inequality.
o A Theory of Justice (1971) by John Rawls
offshoot of the Black Civil Rights movement and Social Justice question of
the post-WWII era.
it strikes at these two main principles:
liberty
equality
it aims to justify the creation of social policies directed at improving the lives
of the majority.
o Anarchy, State and Utopia (1974) by Robert Nozick
it basically advances a more radical view of the liberal social justice
it argues that the people themselves should be the one to determine social
policies
o Liberal Equality (1980) by Amy Gutmann
it claims that liberty is the requisite of equality
it advances participatory democracy in the debate of promoting equality
o Social Justice in the Liberal State (1983) by Bruce Ackerman
it offers a new understanding of liberal equality by focusing on the method
of neutral dialogue
it rejects the old concept of social contract in constituting state power.
o Commodities and Capabilities (1985) by Amartya Sen
it claims that freedom and equality can be achieved by nurturing ones
capabilities--exercising ones capabilities.
it is closely associated with developmental democracy.
o Equality and Liberty (1983) by Kai Nielsen
it offers a uniquely marxist conception of the compatibility of freedom and
equality.
it claims that liberty and equality can be achieved by ending exploitation
and abuses of the workers in a capitalist society.
b.) Democratic Theory
- this tradition raises the question about the relevance of speech and democratic citizenship
in an era of strong government and state violence:
o Pluralism by Robert Dahl
it claims that power is diffused and not an exclusive thing
o Participation and Democratic Theory (1970) by Carole Pateman
criticizes pluralist theory by arguing that active discussion of citizens is
needed in decision-making process
 it claims that social equality is a condition of democratic participation.
o Democratic Theory (1980) by C. B. Macpherson
it posits that freedom as a condition of active citizenship
it claims that the development of freedom is key to a thriving democracy.
o Beyond Adversary (1980) by Jane Mansbridge
it argues that democracy comes to life through the participation of the
general populace in discussing the common good of the society
this concept is called, unitary democracy
o Strong Democracy (1984) by Benjamin Barber
it proposes a model of strong democracy wherein citizens participate in
democratic process by joining together without eradicating their inherent
differences.

c.) Feminist Political Theory

- this tradition is concerned with problematizing the dominant political narrative about
political relations in the society--silencing issues of sexuality, democratic concerns, personal
concerns, family, etc.
o Women Western Political Thought (1979) by Susan Okin
it criticizes the neglect of women issues in political theorizing.
it argues for the rethinking of the political by raising issues that concern the
women.
o Manhood and Politics (1988) by Wendy Brown
it argues for the rethinking of the very narrative of masculine
conceptualization of politics.
it questions the very biases and prejudices present in the very concepts and
understanding of human attributes.
o Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity (1990) by Judith Butler*

d.) Post-Modernism
- this tradition questions the inherent bias of modernity toward the institutionalized and
formalized/structured relations of power in the society.
movement or flow of powers
dual ontology of actors (identity and difference)
o Discipline and Punish (1979) by Michel Foucault
o Post-Structuralism as a specific tradition of PT

e.) New Social Movement and Civil Society

- this tradition questions the bias of modernity toward mainstream politics by advancing
issues that are inherently contentious today which can be acted upon unconventionally:
environmentalism, peace movements, culture, feminism, LGBT, anti-Globalization, etc.
o Social Movements
o Contentious Politics

f.) Liberalism and Communitarianism

- this tradition raises the question about the relativity of liberal political tendencies (e.g.
morality and political norms) or objects of the political
- it argues that todays relevance of religion, morality, government, justice, among other
things, is relative.