Ideology and Politics

This book challenges the idea of post-ideological consensus and offers a fresh perspective on the current state of political ideologies. With 'traditional' political ideologies, such as liberalism, socialism, nationalism and conservatism, perceived to be in crisis, it assesses: - Their continued relevance in the context of globalisation and of scepticism towards ideological thinking - The challenges posed by 'new' ideologies such as ecologism and feminism - The implications of new social movements and ideas of community and multiculturalism for the traditional Left-Right political framework. Ideology and Politics presents an accessible account of a new era of ideological politics, where the dominant neo-liberalism has spawned a diverse global range of 'ideologies of opposition'. It situates these radical frameworks of change and protest in relation to more traditional 'anti' ideologies and seeks to re-establish the relevance of ideologies for political action in the contemporary world. This text will be core reading for students of politics at advanced undergraduate and postgraduate level.

John Schwarzmantel is Senior Lecturer in Politics and Programme Director of the MA in Democratic Studies at the University of Leeds